


No Tomorrow: A Black Storylocke

by SprungGeoduck



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions
Genre: Nuzlocke Challenge
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-09-03
Packaged: 2018-08-09 12:01:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 80,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7801108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SprungGeoduck/pseuds/SprungGeoduck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One day, a stubborn girl with a little thing called Nuzlocke sets off on a journey with her new Snivy and her two best friends. Things escalate from there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Prologue  
  
  
My name is Emily Sanders. I am five foot four, brown hair, green eyes, pretty averagely built. I don’t exactly stand out in crowds. Two weeks ago, I turned sixteen years old. Yesterday, I received my official Unova Pokemon League trainer card in the mail. Today, on this fine spring afternoon, I am getting ready, because tomorrow, I’m going to see Professor Juniper, yes, _the_ Professor Juniper, and choose my starter Pokemon. My life truly begins tomorrow, and Mother of Arceus, I’m rushing ahead! I’ve barely even introduced myself! Okay. I live in Nuvema Town with my mom. It’s pretty quiet around here, especially considering it’s just the two of us. My dad moved out when I was eight: said he was sick of small-town Unova. He officially divorced my mother about a year later. He lives in Johto, and I barely ever see him. A little bit of me died when he left. Growing up, I’ve become a bit of a tomboy. I don’t really get girly things. Most girls my age are all about fashion, and gossip, and taking pictures of themselves on their phones every two minutes, but I think it’s all pretty pointless. When you think about all the difficult shit that people go through, why would you want to want to waste your life on anything so vain. I guess that’s why I don’t have many friends.  
  
  
The only people I know who I could really call my friends are Cheren and Bianca. I’m pretty sure Cheren and I have lived across the street from each other since we were babies, but we only really got to know each other after Dad left. When Mom told me to make some friends, I walked outside and saw an awkward boy with glasses standing across the street, and the rest is history. He doesn’t have too many friends either, for a few reasons. He’s a bit temperamental, and brutally honest. Cheren takes crap from nobody. He’s also a massive Pokemon nerd. If there’s something to know about Pokemon, Cheren knows it. His bedroom walls are covered with posters of Elite Four members and Champions, and his idea of fun is usually watching Pokemon battles on TV. Also, and you would not believe how many people I’ve told this, despite being two human beings of the same age and opposite gender, who have known each other for almost eight years, he and I are just friends. Nothing more. I mean, I’m pretty sure he’s had a crush on me for the past couple of years and is too much of a pansy to spit it out, but for now, our relationship is purely platonic.  
  
  
I’m not entirely sure how I became friends with Bianca. We met because she was a friend of Cheren’s, and I’m not sure how that happened either. She’s a bit of a ditz, and exhibits most of the qualities of girls my age that make me think being girly is stupid. She’s got a big heart though, and she can be deadly serious when she wants to be. When I’m feeling down for whatever reason, she’s always there to pick me back up. Every now and again, she tries to make me do girly stuff, like wear makeup and go shopping. I’m fairly sure she only keeps doing it because she finds it funny, rather than expecting any real change. I go along with it for her sake. Bianca is a very hard girl to say no to. She has the most demonic Lillipup eyes in the world. She needs ‘em. Her dad is really overprotective, and it takes a lot to convince him to let her do anything remotely adventurous. Sometimes, she even seems scared of him. Bianca’s always there for me, and I’m always there for her. I guess that’s why we’re friends.  
  
  
It’s worth mentioning that Cheren and Bianca are also getting their starters tomorrow. They would have headed off on their adventures two years ago, if it weren’t for me. You see, when I was ten years old, I was diagnosed with Nuzlocke, a relatively rare genetic condition that, for whatever reason, causes any Pokemon I train to die whenever they would normally be knocked out. If you have Nuzlocke, you can only apply for a trainer card when you’re sixteen. Everyone else can do it when they’re fourteen. While a whole bunch of people at school left on their Pokemon journeys as soon as they turned fourteen, Cheren and Bianca have been really supportive. They agreed to wait until I turned sixteen to get their trainer cards so we could all start our journey together. It was when this happened that I decided I had the best friends in the world.  
  
  
Nuvema Town is a pretty small place. There are only a few thousand people living here. Everyone knows each other, and if you don’t know someone, you know someone who knows them. The closest town is Accumula, about a 45-minute drive away. We’ve got some local facilities, but if you want a big supermarket, or a real hospital, you’ve got no choice but to hit the road. We do have a decently-sized school here, but it’s as big as it is entirely because of the most important building in town, the Juniper Pokemon Lab. Arceus knows what drove one of the best Pokemon researchers in the region to set up shop here, but she did, and our little town wouldn’t be the same without her. Everyone around here respects her, some more than others. And by some, I mean Cheren. He’ll do damn near anything to listen to one of her Pokemon lectures, and Juniper is the prime reason I’m so familiar with Cheren’s happy face. Right now, she’s probably preparing her lab for our arrival. She’s always happy to give Pokemon to aspiring trainers, so long as they’re willing to help her research Pokemon, and their origins. There’s a reason this town is relatively lacking in older kids.  
  
  
Estranging myself from my listless thoughts, I reacquaint myself with my surroundings. I’m lounging on the couch while Mom checks her emails on the computer. I’m wearing a white tank top and faded blue jeans. It’s a Friday. We both decided to take a day off today so I could prepare for my journey, and up until this point, we’ve been doing just that. Even though I should be able to buy a lot of the stuff I’ll need in any cities I visit, there was still a lot to pack. We’re done now, and I’m taking a much-needed rest while Mom catches up on work. I glance at my watch. It’s just past four in the afternoon. Everyone else should be home from school by now. There’s a knock on the door.  
  
“Who is it?”, my mother shouts, briefly looking away from the computer.  
  
“It’s Cheren.”  
  
Cheren’s voice is a curious thing. Although Cheren can be opinionated, he’s always somewhat restrained with his words. I can count on the fingers of one hand the times I’ve heard him raise his voice. There’s always the tiniest hint of shyness in his voice, despite his attempts to hide it. Somehow, the voice perfectly summarizes the person. Pushing this random thought to the back of my mind, I get up and go to open the door. Cheren comes inside, and we share a quick hug, before he plants himself himself on the couch. His black hair, though recently cut, is messy and haphazard. He is wearing a yellow T-shirt with a cartoon picture of the Unova starters on it, and black sweatpants. I collapse on to the couch, taking my place next to him. We sit in silence for a few seconds before he starts talking.  
  
“So, how are things in the world of Emily?”  
  
“Busy. Been packing for hours.”  
  
“Packing the day before you leave isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do”, he says matter-of-factly.  
  
“Well then”, I reply, “When did you pack?”  
  
“Last weekend”  
  
“Hey!”, I retort, “It’s not my fault my trainer card only arrived yesterday!”  
  
“Not sure whether that’s a fair point or not.”, he notes.  
  
I change the subject, “So, you excited for tomorrow?”  
  
I swear Cheren almost squeals, “Yesyesyesyesyes! I’ve just got so much pent-up excitement and I just wanna get going and Arceus dammit tomorrow can’t come fast enough, can it?”  
  
“Hey, hey, Cheren, calm down!”, I say, slowly raising my hands in the air.  
  
“I know, I know, it’s just so amazing that we’re going on this huge adventure together.”, he enthuses, “Anyway, which starter are you going to pick?”  
  
“I honestly don’t know.”, I sigh.  
  
“Well, whichever one you pick, I’m picking the one with type advantage against yours.”  
  
“You dirty cheater, Cheren!”, I laugh.  
  
“Oh, Em”, he replies casually, “ _Cheater_ is such a dirty word. I prefer the term _strategist._ ”  
  
At that, we host burst into laughter.  
  
“Seriously, though”, he says, composing himself, “given the choice, I’d probably pick Tepig. It’s got advantages in all the right situations.”  
  
“In that case, I’m choosing Snivy.”  
  
Cheren is taken aback, “R-really? You’d do that for me?”  
  
“Of course, dumbass”, I reply, playfully prodding him, “I’m your best friend.”  
  
“You know that Snivy is considered the hardest of the three to use, right? And with you and your- your you-know-what…”, he trails off.  
  
“Yeah.”, I mutter.  
  
His voice takes a somber tone, “Emily.”  
  
“Yes, Cheren?”  
  
“If we ever battle each other, and I’m winning, I’ll… I’ll just bring your Pokemon to low health, and we’ll call it a win, okay?”  
  
“Thank you, Cheren.”, I stammer. I don’t like to think about my condition.  
  
“I don’t want to be a murderer.”, he says quietly.  
  
  
For the next few minutes, we just sit there, lost in our emotions. Cheren begins to stand up.  
  
“I’m sorry.”, he says, “Shouldn’t have said anything. I’ll be going now.”  
  
“No!”, I plead, “Don’t leave! It’s okay. It needed to be said.”  
  
He sighs, “I guess you’re right. Everything’s going to be fine.”  
  
He sits back down, and wraps his arm around my shoulder. He makes it look like a friendly gesture, but I’m damn near certain he wants it to mean something more. I’ve never really been comfortable with that thought, but I let him have his fun.  
  
Mom glances over at us, “Jeez! Just kiss, you two!”  
  
“Shut up, mom.”, I groan. Honestly, it was inevitable. She always says something like that whenever Cheren’s around, and I hate it. She’s my mother! She’s supposed to be supportive of my life choices, not constantly trying to set me up with my best friend!  
  
“Yeah, that’s- that’s ridiculous!”, Cheren adds, hazily pulling his arm away. “Why would I ever want to do that?”  
  
“Alright, fine.”, she replies, deflated, “I’ll shut up. You two have your fun, okay?”  
  
“Okay.”, I echo, as Mom goes back to her emails.  
  
  
“So”, Cheren says, changing the subject, “I guess Bianca gets Oshawott, then?”  
  
Casting my mind back to our earlier conversation, I reply, “I guess she does.”  
  
“She’d probably pick it regardless. Oshawott are quite easy to raise.”, he notes.  
  
“Not to mention she thinks they’re _just so cute!_ ” I add, doing a bad imitation of  Bianca’s high-pitched excited voice.  
  
“Yeah, I figured that. Thing is, Oshawott might be cute and cuddly, but Samurott… less so.”  
  
“What a nice way of describing a creature with a huge-ass horn and swords on its legs?”  
  
“ _The Biology of Samurott_ , by Emily Sanders. Number 1 best-seller.”  
  
“Funny.”  
  
He sighs, “Anyway, I have to get going. I need to make some final preparations, and go check on Bianca.”  
  
“Oh. Okay, then. Say hi to Bianca for me.”  
  
“Will do.”  
  
Cheren gets up and tentatively makes his way to the door, before turning to face me.  
  
“I liked our little talk.”, he says, “It was nice.”  
  
“Yeah. It was.”  
  
“See you tomorrow.”  
  
“See you.”  
  
He heads through the door, before turning back one last time for a quick, friendly wave. I just smile, and he smiles back before closing the door.  
  
My name is Emily Sanders. I am sixteen years old. Tomorrow, I, and my two best friends in the world, will be receiving our starter Pokemon from Professor Juniper and setting out on our adventure.  
  
My name is Emily Sanders.  
  
My life begins tomorrow.


	2. Chapter 1: Origins

Chapter 1  
  
  
My eyes slowly blink open, and I am greeted with the calm familiarity of my ceiling. I yawn, and roll over in my bed. In my stupor, I hear a knocking on my door.  
  
“Whoever you are”, I groan tiredly, “go away. It’s a Saturday morning, for crying out loud.”  
  
The door is pushed ajar.  
  
“Also”, i note, “I’m still in bed, and all I’m wearing is underwear, so if it’s Cheren, then you should definitely go away.”  
  
“Dammit. You got me.”, my best friend sighs, “Now get dressed and get downstairs.”  
  
“Why?”, I moan.  
  
“My best friend is an amnesiac. Great.”, Cheren deadpans.  
  
Trying to figure out the meaning of this comment, I turn my head to the wall, and see a poster of Snivy, Tepig and Oshawott.  
  
“Shit!”, I exclaim, the realization hitting me like a freight train, “Okay. Okay. Crap. I’ll be right down, just gimme a minute!”  
  
  
The door closes, and as soon as I hear Cheren’s footsteps on the stairs, I scramble out of bed, leaving my blanket in a crumpled heap. This action upsets the neatly folded pile of clothes placed on the end of my bed by my mother. Various garments scatter across the room, like a nest of Pidove forced to disperse by the arrival of a hungry Mandibuzz.  
  
“Ugh. Forgot about those.”, I mutter under my breath, resigning myself to picking my clothes up off the floor. Mom knew I would be doing a lot of walking, and visiting a lot of places no sane person would ever go of their own volition, and chose my attire accordingly. First, I pull on a pair of rugged brown khaki pants, followed, in contrast, by a thin, long-sleeved shirt. It’s a simple, navy blue thing. There’s no logo on the front or anything. Sometimes, simplicity is the best option. Going on an adventure with Pokemon is one of those times. A pair of dull gray hiking boots sit propped against the end of my bed, unaffected by the mess I inadvertently caused. I do have to pick up my socks from off the floor, but I get those on quickly and yank on the boots. I tie the shoelaces almost reflexively, and grab the last piece of clothing off the floor. Before putting it on, I look it over. It’s a plain black leather jacket. It was gift from Cheren for my fifteenth birthday. He thought it would fit that whole thing I have going on. Exact words. Evidently, he can read me like an open book, because it’s been my favorite thing I own ever since. Mom would never have bought it for me. She’s too motherly for that sort of thing. She’s learned to roll with it, though, unlike _some_ people, who shall remain anonymous, who think it’s “not suitable for a girl my age”. What the hell do they know? I like wearing it, and that’s the end of that. I throw it on over my shirt, leaving it unzipped, before throwing open my door and bounding down the stairs.  
  
  
Downstairs, Mom is cooking something in a frying pan, while Cheren has made himself comfortable on the couch. He is wearing a white shirt with a red stripe down the middle and around the collar, a blue jacket, black jeans, and blue sports shoes. His hair is slightly messy, and he’s wearing his glasses, like he almost always does.  
  
“Good to see you’re finally up, Little Miss Snorlax.”, Mom jabs.  
  
“It’s a Saturday, Mom. You can’t really blame me.”, I retort.  
  
“Well”, Cheren interjects, “She wouldn’t need to blame you if you’d remembered that it was _the_ Saturday and woken up at a reasonable time. Also, good to se you’re wearing the jacket I bought you.”  
  
“By the way, it’s almost ten in the morning, just in case you were wondering.”, Mom notes.  
  
“Well then Cheren, when did you wake up?”, I say, my tone edged with sass.  
  
“Six”, he replies, as if this is the most normal thing in the world.  
  
“The hell is wrong with you?”  
  
“Well, considering this is, you know, the biggest day of my life so far, I figured I would start it early.”  
  
“Why are you even here?”  
  
“Well, after i woke up, I had a shower, got dressed, had some cereal, checked my stuff, told my parents I was coming over here, brought my stuff over, and spent the next three hours watching battle tournaments on TV waiting for you to wake up.”, he says, but with the tiniest hint of vitriol, “Also, your hair looks like you were just in a hurricane.”  
  
“I’m not sure what to think about that. It’s kind of weird, but really nice of you at the same time.”, I say, while running a hand through my hair, trying to rearrange it in a way that looks somewhat presentable.  
  
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”, he notes.  
  
Mom interrupts, “Hey, you two! Food’s ready!”  
  
We both rush to the table, which earns us glares from Mom.  
  
“I’m not your personal waitress, so if you want your food, you’d better come and get it.”  
  
We both sigh, and begrudgingly go to collect our plates, which are heaped with crispy bacon, plump sausages, and fluffy scrambled eggs. We return to our places at the table, which Mom has laid out with forks, knives, and tall glasses filled with orange juice.  
  
  
Cheren immediately attacks the bacon, but before I dig in, I realize something. I’m not sure how to tell Cheren, that is, until he gives me the perfect opportunity.  
  
“This bacon”, he mumbles, mouth half-filled with food, “is extremely delicious.”  
  
“Uh, Cheren.”, I say, my voice uncertain.  
  
“Yeah?”, he mumbles, still eating.  
  
I drop the bombshell, “You’re picking Tepig, aren’t you?”  
  
As the realization hits him, his expression changes to one of abject horror, and he spits his bacon out as if it was poisonous.  
  
“Awk-ward.”, I chuckle.  
  
“Please don’t mention this.”  
  
“To whom”, I ask, puzzled.  
  
“Tepig. He might be a bit alienated.”  
  
“What are you talking about? it’s not like it can understand me or anything.”  
  
Cheren facepalms as well as someone wearing glasses can.  
  
He sits up, before resuming, “Okay, let me give it to you straight. You can talk to Pokemon, and they can talk to you.”  
  
I almost fall out of my chair in shock.  
  
“Very rare genetic mutation.”, he continues, unfazed,”Although it can spring up on its own, it usually shows up Tepig-backing on most forms of Nuzlocke. Nobody really knows why. Some people say it’s Arceus’ idea of a sick joke, letting Nuzlockers get more emotionally attached to their Pokemon so it hurts even more when they die.”  
  
“Can you shut up about the death thing, because I’m having a hard enough time taking this all in without you talking about that.”  
  
“Alright, fine. Anyway, the mutation gives your speech a subharmonic element that allows Pokemon to understand it much more clearly, and changes your brain in such a way that it can interpret the speech of Pokemon as human speech.”  
  
I try to calm my breathing, “One, that’s pretty awesome, and two, how come nobody told me this before?”  
  
“I thought it would be a bit much for you to handle, dear.”, Mom adds, “I told Cheren, though.”  
  
“What is it with all the lying?”, I shout.  
  
“Your mom figured that you trust me more than you trust her”, Cheren explains, “so she told me to tell you.”  
  
“But why now?”, I ask.  
  
“It was the best opportunity I was going to get. It’s kind of hard to randomly tell your best friend that, due to the genetic mutation they possess that causes their Pokemon to die when they’re defeated in battle, they have another genetic mutation that lets them commune with Pokemon.”  
  
“I guess you’re right on that front.”, I sigh, “Thank you for telling me, though. Would have been kind of a nasty surprise if you hadn’t.”  
  
“Yeah. Anyway, we should get going. Grab your stuff. Bianca should be waiting outside the lab.”  
  
“Alright, you two have your fun”, Mom says, “See you later!”  
  
“Love you, Mom!”, I say, grabbing my backpack from near the door and hoisting it on to my back.  
  
As we head out the door, I turn around, and she waves goodbye.  
  
“C’mon”, Cheren says, beckoning me with his hand, “Let’s go.”  
  
  
The streets of Nuvema Town are fairly empty at ten in the morning. There isn’t that much to do here, and if you’re going to do something, now is not the time. Most people have barely woken up by this point. Except Cheren. But he’s weird. I’ve come to expect these sorts of things from him. He leads, and I follow. He is filled with boundless energy. I was woken up twenty minutes ago. There is a significant contrast. A bus, mostly empty, rumbles past.  
  
“Can’t we just take the damn bus?”, I moan.  
  
“No. We don’t need to.”  
  
“Well, I’m tired as fuck, so I need to!”  
  
“Well, that’s your own fault for waking up late!”  
  
“You could have woken me up, you know.  
  
“Well, I didn’t want to disturb you.”, his says, his voice losing al vitriol and taking on a surprisingly heartfelt tone.  
  
“Aww. Really?”  
  
“Yeah. I figured that letting you get some more sleep would be a nice thing to do.”  
  
”Why, thank you.”  
  
“You’re welcome.”  
  
We walk the streets of Nuvema in a contented silence, but with visible determination. The spring wind nips at our faces, and part of me is tempted to seek temporary refuge in one of the many small, locally-run stores that are opening at this time of day. The calming smell of freshly-baked pastry wafts from a nearby bakery. An old song plays on an old record player in a music store. In one of the big cities, like Castelia or Nimbasa, being out on the street at this time of day would be an unrelenting assault on the senses. Here it’s relaxing, and quiet. Sometimes I wonder why more people from the cities don’t come here when they just want to get away from it all. After some walking, the Juniper Pokemon Lab comes into view. It sits in stark contrast to every other building in town, all smoothed edges and white-painted metal. My gaze is caught by a figure dressed in orange and white. The figure the waves at me.  
  
“I think I found Bianca.”, I note.  
  
“Good.”, Cheren replies, “Let’s go.”  
  
As we walk closer, I get a better look at Bianca. She is wearing an orange and white blouse, a long, white skirt, orange socks that cover at least the portion of her legs not covered by the skirt, and yellow shoes. Perched on her head is a large, green hat. All this is offset by her green backpack, with is bulging at the seams.  
  
“Hey, guys! Over here!”, Bianca calls out, in her usual perky tone.  
  
Cheren bounds towards her, and I follow sluggishly.  
  
“Oh my gosh, you guys are finally here!”, Bianca squeals, “C’mon, let’s go inside!”  
  
“How much coffee did you drink this morning?”, I ask, already a little tired of Bianca.  
  
“Three cups of it!”, she replies enthusiastically.  
  
“I wouldn’t mind some coffee, in all honesty”, I yawn.  
  
“Oh, I’ve got some!”, she says, taking a flask from one of her pack’s side pockets. She unscrews the lid and hands the flask to me. I take a few drawn-out sips, and feel the hot, slightly bitter liquid trickle down my throat. The warmth is much appreciated, and just the thought of getting some caffeine in to my system starts to energize my body.  
  
“Thanks, Bianca.”, I say, handing the flask back to her.  
  
“Oh, it’s nothing.”, she replies.  
  
“Er-hem.”, Cheren interrupts, “Have you both forgotten why we’re here?”  
  
I shrug, and Bianca nods. Cheren just sighs as he enters through the automatic door.  
  
  
I haven’t been inside the Pokemon Lab in quite a while, but it’s barely changed since the last time. The interior is as much of a contrast to the rest of Nuvema as the exterior, and it has a similar vibe. As we make our ay through the facility, we catch glimpses of researchers working away at computers or conducting experiments. The research they undertake here is apparently of great important to Unova… and Cheren. It’s kind of ironic how Bianca and I have to keep pestering him to stop looking at all the science, considering he’s the one who’s been telling me to get a move on all morning.  
  
While pulling Cheren away from some scientist examining a shimmering blue stone, Bianca wonders out loud, “Where’s Professor Juniper?”  
  
“Yeah, where is she?”, Cheren adds.  
  
“Wait a minute.”, the man examining the stone says, “You must be those kids Juniper’s been talking about. She went out to observe the Pidove or some crap, I dunno. Just head down to her office. Think she left a note for you.”  
  
“Thank you, Doctor.”, Cheren says.  
  
We reach the end of the corridor leading to Juniper’s door. There is a note tacked on to the door. We gather around, and silently read. The note says:  
  
 _“Sorry I’m not here. Went to do some fieldwork. Should be back by 11. Starters are in the Pokeballs on the table. Just take the ones you each want._  
  
 _Juniper”_  
  
Cheren pulls the door open and steps gingerly in to the room. Professor Juniper’s office is entirely befitting of a researcher like her. The back wall is mostly glass, offering a panoramic view of the sea. Facing away from the window is Juniper’s desk, a modern steel-and-glass piece. Two neat stacks of papers flank a desktop computer. In a corner is a small couch and coffee table, for any visitors. The right wall is line with bookshelves, all packed with books, magazines and journals. On the left wall, however, is the subject of our attention, a worktable with three Poke Balls placed upon it.  
  
  
We rush over, and my hand immediately grabs the ball featuring a small leaf symbol. I throw it on the ground, and out bursts a Snivy, who immediately breaks eye contact with me.  
  
“Hey, little guy. What’s the problem?”, I ask.  
  
The Snivy responds, “Noth- wait. Waitwaitwait. I can understand you.”  
  
“The feeling’s mutual, buddy.”  
  
His look and tone turn bleak, “Oh, no. You’ve got Nuzlocke, haven’t you? I’m so dead. I don’t want to die. I’m scared.”  
  
“It’s alright.”, I assure, kneeling down to pet him, “I’ll try my hardest to make sure nobody dies.”  
  
“Phew. Glad to see my new trainer isn’t stupid. Anyway, I’m Snivy.”  
  
“Emily. Nice to meet you. Also, don’t you have a name or something?”  
  
“Pokemon don’t have names.”  
  
“Well, we’ll have to get you a name, because we’re friends now, and I don’t go around calling Cheren here Human now, do I?”  
  
Cheren waves at us.  
  
“Point taken. Anyway, why are you even picking me? Everybody knows that my line sucks in battle.”  
  
“I’m picking you because I want to. And Serperior can’t be that bad, right?”  
  
“I guess so.”  
  
I return Snivy to his ball, and Cheren and Bianca send out their starters. Although it’s not as clear as with Snivy, especially since I’m purposely trying to ignore it, I can still understand their Pokemon. From what I do hear, Cheren’s Tepig seems a bit boisterous and full of himself, while Bianca’s Oshawott is childish and innocent. I let Snivy back out of its ball, and the three starters immediately start talking about their new trainers.  
  
“So”, I say to my friends, “what now?”  
  
“We’ve still got a while to wait before Juniper gets back.”, Cheren notes.  
  
Suddenly, Bianca’s face lights up. “People”, she announces, “I’ve had an idea.”  
  
Cheren sighs, “Is this going to be a good idea, or a stupid Bianca idea?”  
  
“Jeez, Cheren, bear with me for a sec!”  
  
He shrugs.  
  
“How about”, she continues, “we try out our Pokemon?”  
  
“What”, Cheren asks, “you mean, in battle?”  
  
“Of course, silly. What else could I possibly mean?”  
  
I am reluctant, “I don’t think Snivy’s quite ready to die yet.”  
  
“You got that right.”, Snivy adds.  
  
“Relax, Em! We’ll go easy on you, right, Cheren?”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
“You know what?”, Snivy says.  
  
“What?”  
  
“I think I can take these guys.”  
  
“Oh, really?”, Tepig jeers, “Once I learn Ember, you won’t stand a chance!”  
  
“Well, you haven’t learned Ember yet, so shut up until you do.”, Snivy retorts.  
  
“Fine, fine.”, Tepig mutters.  
  
“Alright”, Bianca states, beckoning Oshawott over to her, “The first battle will be me versus Emily.”  
  
As Snivy retreats to my side, I can feel the excitement building inside me. After all these years, the time has finally come. My Pokemon journey begins today, and it’s starting with a bang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We meet our second rival and our starter! No battles yet, but we'll get to that. Until next time!


	3. Chapter 2: Adventure Awaits

Chapter 2  
  
  
It’s hard to aggressively stare down your opponent when said opponent is Bianca. She, along with her Oshawott, are just too innocent. My attempts at looking strong are also foiled by the irritating strands of hair dangling over my face. Ever since I woke up, I’ve been in too much of a rush to tie my hair into its usual ponytail, and now it’s annoying me. As I make futile attempts to brush away the errant locks, I feel Snivy gently squeezing the back of my leg.  
  
“Are you two going to battle or what?”, Cheren asks exasperatedly, “Also, Bianca, are you sure it’s the best idea to be battling inside Juniper’s office?”  
  
“Relax, Cheren!”, Bianca assures him, “It’ll be fine. These are low-levelled starters, after all.”  
  
Cheren sighs, “Alright, fine. Anyway, let’s get this battle started.”  
  
“Alright, Oshawott, let’s go!”, Bianca yells, “Use, uh, Hydro Pump. Yeah, Hydro Pump!”  
  
Oshawott focuses its gaze on Snivy, who has extricated himself from my leg, tenses its muscles, and succeeds in blowing a large amount of air at Snivy.  
  
“I don’t think you’ve learned that move yet, Oshawott.”, my starter says sympathetically.  
  
“Okay, my tuen.”, I state firmly, “Snivy, use Leer!”  
  
Snivy widens his eyes and gives Oshawott a piercing gaze, at which the Water-type recoils slightly.  
  
“Okay, Oshawott”, Bianca says, sounding a little unsure of herself, “let’s try a different move. Use Tackle!”  
  
The creature runs towards Snivy at a restrained pace, before playfully slamming into him.  
  
“That was nothing.”, Snivy says, “Take this!”  
  
He lashes out with his tail. The swing is calculated, timid, almost, but with Oshawott’s defenses lowered by the Leer, it sends the Water-type flying across the room.  
  
“Not the, uh, desired effect.”, Snivy mutters, “but it’ll do.”  
  
Contrary to the views of my starter, this turn of events excites me. I order him to keep doing whatever he just did. Snivy starts moving towards Oshawott, but before he can get close enough to execute another attack, it gets up and charges Snivy with renewed vigor. The two Pokemon collide, and Snivy tumbles backwards. Regaining his momentum, and taking advantage of his briefly stunned opponent, Snivy dusts himself off and whips around, slamming his tail into Oshawott’s side. Oshawott lets out a small squeal of pain as he comes to rest after the attack, clutching his side.  
  
“Jeez, Emily!”, Bianca yells, “Can’t your Snivy show some self-restraint? I think he hurt my cute little Oshawott!”  
  
“With all due respect, Bianca.”, Cheren sighs, “it’s a Pokemon battle. You can’t expect your Pokemon to not get hurt. Or worse.” He casts a sideways glance at me.  
  
“Okay, fine.”, she replies, exasperated, “It’s just that it’s my first time, okay?”  
  
While my friends argue, I investigate the aftermath of the battle, and it’s fair to say that it’s not good. Snivy and Oshawott’s battle left numerous scuff marks on Juniper’s previously immaculate floor, and, out of the heat of battle, I now notice that several books from one of the bookshelves race scattered across the room, presumably a byproduct of Oshawott’s crash landings. Cheren and Bianca, their argument over, start to notice the carnage, and Bianca says what we’re all thinking.  
  
“We’re gonna have to clean this all up, aren’t we?”  
  
Then, we hear footsteps in the corridor, coming closer and closer.  
  
“I sure hope that’s not Juniper.”, Bianca mumbles.  
  
“It probably is, though.”, Cheren replies, resigned to his fate.  
  
The doorknob twists, and Aurea Juniper steps over the threshold.  
  
“Pardon my language, kids, but what the fuck happened here?”  
  
  
Bianca steps forward, her face guilt-ridden.  
  
“It’s my fault, ma’am.”, she says, averting Juniper’s stern gaze.  
  
“How so, Bianca?”, she questions, “And please, call me Aurea.”  
  
Bianca mumbles out a reply, “I said we should have a battle in here with our new Pokemon, and, well, Emily’s Snivy got a little carried away, is all.”  
  
Juniper scratches her chin, and replies, “You know, while having a Pokemon battle in someone’s office is highly irresponsible, I can’t blame you for wanting to do it. Most new trainers want to battle as soon as they get their Pokemon, and knowing you, Bianca, I figured you’d be no exception.”  
  
“We’re going to have to clean this up, aren’t we?”, Cheren notes.  
  
“Well”, Juniper chuckles, “If you really want to, you can. But I’ll handle it! You three have fun! Be young!”  
  
“What about the Pokedex?”  
  
“Oh, yeah, that! Let me just get them for you.”  
  
Juniper walks past us to her desk, and digs through a drawer before producing three white boxes. She lays them out on her workbench, and opens them to reveal three Pokedexes and three gray wristband things. I’m not really sure what they are. Juniper takes the contents of one box in her hands.  
  
“This”, she explains, “is a Pokedex. It’s a device for scanning Pokemon in order to obtain data on them. It can also analyze Pokemon registered to you in order to obtain more detailed information in and out of battle.”  
  
“What about the wristband thing?”, I ask.  
  
“I was just getting to that. This is a cross-transceiver. They write the ‘cross’ as an X because that’s supposedly cool now. It’s an advanced communication device. Now, most of the time, a cellphone will do the same job better, but Pokemon trainers tend to get into the kind of situations where you need unrestricted communication.”  
  
“So it’s like a military radio?”, Cheren questions.  
  
“Pretty much. It can also transmit data. This for when I need some data from your Pokedex, or when a Pokemon you catch needs to be sent to the Pokemon Storage System.”  
  
“Sounds expensive.”, Bianca says.  
  
“It is, believe me, but the League just loves to fund this place. Anyway”, she continues, handing the Pokedex and Xtransceiver to me, “here you go. Cheren, Bianca, feel free to take yours.”  
  
I slip the transceiver on my right wrist, and place my Pokedex in one of my pack’s many side pockets. Cheren and Bianca take theirs, and we all gaze expectantly at the professor. A thought from earlier returns to me.  
  
“Juniper?”, I ask, “Could I, um, give a nickname to Snivy here?” I gesture at the Grass-type.  
  
“Sure? Why not? What did you have in mind?”, she replies cheerfully.  
  
“Well, considering I can talk to him, which you probably knew about, because evidently everyone except me gets to know about this crazy gift of mine, I figured I should give him a human name.”  
  
I ponder over names in my head for a few seconds before settling on one I like.  
  
“Leonard.”, I say firmly, “His name is Leonard.”  
  
  
“Any particular reasoning behind that name?”, Juniper questions.  
  
“Not much. He just sort of seemed like a Leonard to me.”  
  
Snivy- sorry, Leonard, interjects, “You didn’t ask for my thoughts, Miss Emily.”  
  
“Oh. Sorry about that. Also, please don’t call me Miss or anything. It makes me feel weird.”  
  
“Oh. Okay. Don’t feel bad.”, comes his timid reply. Leonard then decides to try out his new name.  
  
“Leonard.”, he says slowly, rolling the name over his tongue, “Leo-nard. Huh. Has a nice ring to it. It’ll work.”  
  
Juniper’s gaze shifts to the others, and her question goes unspoken.  
  
“I don’t know about a nickname.”, Cheren ponders, “Maybe when I get to know Tepig a little better.”  
  
“It’s kind of hard to get really attached to something you can’t understand.”, Bianca adds, “But I love Oshawott anyway. He’s a cutie.”  
  
“Actually, Bianca.”, Juniper remarks, “that Oshawott is a she.”  
  
“Uh- uh- I knew that!”, Bianca stammers.  
  
“ _Definitely._ ”, I retort.  
  
“Anyway, kids”, Juniper continues, “I’ll be on Route 1. It’s time for you three to learn how to catch a Pokemon.”  
  
“Oh, okay.”, Bianca comments, “I might be a little while. I have to go say goodbye to my dad.”  
  
“Alright. I can wait. See you soon!”  
  
With that, Juniper leaves the room, with Bianca following close behind, and Oshawott trotting behind her. As Cheren and I watch the door swing closed, he turns towards me and speaks.  
  
“You’re thinking what I’m thinking, right?”  
  
“Probably.”  
  
“So, which one of us is going to bail her out?”  
  
  
“I’ll go.”, I say, matter-of-factly.  
  
“No.”, he assures me, placing a hand on my shoulder, “I’ll handle this.”  
  
“She needs me, Cheren. Anyway, you know her dad doesn’t like you all that much.”  
  
“Bianca’s dad doesn’t like anybody.”  
  
“Point taken.”  
  
“You know what?”  
  
“No. I don’t know what?”  
  
“Why don’t we both go?”  
  
“Can we take the bus this time?”  
  
He face-palms and sighs, “Fine.”  
  
I return Leonard to his Poke Ball, and Cheren does the same with Tepig. WE head back down the hallway, and the scientist from earlier gives us a small wave. We exit the building, and are once again greeted by the cool spring air. There is a bus stop outside the lab, and Cheren and I take a seat to wait for one of the small buses that runs through the Nuvema-Accumula area. I zip my jacket up some more to keep the wind out. Cheren follows my lead. WE sit in silence until the bus comes. The doors hiss open, and we board, paying our fares and taking our seats on the mostly empty bus.  
  
“Why are we bothering with this anyway?”, Cheren ponders, “I mean, if he let her get her trainer’s license, he must be at least somewhat okay with the idea of her going on a journey.”  
  
“Remember, this is Bianca’s dad we’re talking about here. He could have changed his mind. Anything could happen.”  
  
“Just because anything could happen doesn’t mean anything will happen.”  
  
“I know, Cheren, but I just want to make sure that Bianca is okay. You know how bad her dad can be.”  
  
“Yeah. I do. I try not to think about it, though.”  
  
“Cheren, why are you so damn smart?”  
  
“I don’t know. Am I?”  
  
“Well, smarter than me, that’s for sure.”  
  
“You are too kind.”  
  
  
We sit in silence for the rest of the ride, looking out at the sleepy little town we’ve called our home for the past sixteen years. I’m going to miss this place. It might not be big and important like some of the other cities in the region, but it has a certain charm to it. Cheren prods me lightly on the arm. “C’mon. This is our stop.”  
  
We leave the bus and turn the corner on to Bianca’s street. There is no pausing for confirmation. For Cheren and I, the route to Bianca’s house is practically ingrained in our minds, to the point where we could probably get there blindfolded. Much to the chagrin of both of us, the journey has been made for the same reason as this one far too many times. I can’t count then number of times Bianca has thanked me or Cheren for helping her with her father.  
  
“You know what’s funny?”, Cheren observes.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Bianca’s father is always there, but she wishes he wasn’t. Your father is never there, but you wish he was. You two should trade or something.”  
  
I sigh. “If only life was that simple, Cheren.”  
  
“I know.”  
  
We reach Bianca’s house, approaching the front door with a hint of trepidation. Cheren rings the doorbell, and we hear hurried footsteps coming from inside. Bianca opens the door, giving us a small wave, but there’s no hiding the look of melancholy on her face.  
  
“Um, hey, guys!”, she says awkwardly, “You didn’t have to, uh, come and check on me, you know. It’s-it’s all fine between me and my dad.”  
  
“You are a terrible liar.”, Cheren deadpans, “What happened?”  
  
Bianca mutters something unintelligible under her breath before continuing, “Well, I showed Dad my Oshawott, at which point I probably shouldn’t have told him I lost my battle with Emily, because that made him think that I was a bad trainer, and Oshawott was a bad Pokemon, and that we would get destroyed by wild Pokemon, so I should stay home. So Mom said that they’d already agreed to let me go on my journey, but he told her to shut up, which made me feel really mad, and then he said”, she puts on a gruff mockery of her father’s voice, “fine, go on your damn journey, just don’t come crying to me when you get mauled by a Beartic.” She drops the accent, continuing with her side of the story, “so I said, fine! I don’t need your sympathy. I’m gonna go out there, and battle, and get stronger, and then you’ll see that you were wrong!”  
  
Cheren and I stand in stunned silence for a few seconds.  
  
Unfazed by our lack of response, Bianca returns to her usual cheery state. “So, yeah. Didn’t Juniper say she was going to show us how to catch Pokemon on Route 1? We shouldn’t keep her waiting, because that would be rude, right?”  
  
“Yeah.”, Cheren replies flatly, still taken aback by Bianca’s little speech, “Yeah, it would.”  
  
“Then what are we waiting for?”, she enthuses, hefting her backpack, which I only now notice has been sitting by the door this whole time, on to her shoulders, “Let’s go!”  
  
She bounds down the street towards the bus stop. Cheren and I follow at a more restrained pace.  
  
“Good to see Bianca’s back to her usual self.”, I remark.  
  
“What even was that?”, Cheren questions.  
  
“I’m not so sure myself.”  
  
  
The bus pulls up at the start point of Route 1 and we disembark, almost fully recovered from Bianca’s sudden outburst. Shifting our packs on our shoulders, we examine the area. Route 1 is a relatively wide packed-dirt path. It used to be the road the went to Accumula, until they built the new road and turned the old one in to a walking trail. The main path is kept relatively clear, but there are a fair few untamed fields of tall grass along the sides. There are some pretty nasty Pokemon in the really thick stuff off the beaten path, but as long as you stick to the main trail the only things you might encounter are Lillipup and Patrat, which are basically harmless unless you get aggressive. We spot Juniper standing not far from the bus stop, her Minccino by her side. She waves a hand in the air, beckoning us to her. As we approach her, Minccino rushes towards me, giggling maniacally.  
  
I stifle a laugh. “Whoa, there, Minccino! Slow down!”  
  
The Pokemon lets out a dejected “Aww” and returns to Juniper’s side.  
  
The professor greets us cheerfully, “Hey, kids! How’s it going?”  
  
“It’s fine, it’s fine.”, Bianca replies apologetically, “Sorry we’re late, Professor.”  
  
“No problem. Also, again, call me Aurea. Please.”  
  
“Sorry, Prof- I mean, Aurea.”  
  
Juniper chuckles. “No need to be sorry, Bianca. Now, let’s get to why we’re here. It’s time for you kids to learn how to catch a Pokemon?”  
  
“Well, before we get too deep in to it, I just want to say that it’s best if you weaken the Pokemon, but not enough so that it faints, because catching a fainted Pokemon is illegal. Status conditions like sleep or paralysis are also helpful, as are higher-quality Poke Balls.”, Cheren explains smugly.  
  
“Well, Cheren.”, Juniper replies, not surprised in the slightest by his knowledge, “not all of us are as well-versed on being a Pokemon trainer as you are, so how about a little demonstration?”  
  
“That sounds good.”, Bianca comments.  
  
“Alright. Then let’s get to it!”, Juniper enthuses, leading us to a patch of tall grass. Minccino enters the grass, looking for another Pokemon. It’s probably done this a million times. Almost as soon as it starts exploring the grass, t gets jumped by a Patrat.  
  
“Okay, then!”, Juniper hastily notes, “Let’s do this. Minccino, use Pound!”  
  
Minccino, already face-to-face with the Patrat, delivers a restrained pound to the rodent’s gut, and action for which it gets leered at. Bringing up her Pokedex, Juniper scans the ongoing battle.  
  
“Okay, now that it’s weakened, we throw a Poke Ball.”, she states calmly, taking one of the red and white balls from her bag. In one swift, underhand motion, the ball is sent arcing towards the Patrat. It knocks the creature on the head before swallowing it as a swirl of red light. The ball starts shaking as the creature inside tries to free itself, but after three large shakes, the switch on the ball turns white, and the ball emits a clicking noise.  
  
“And that, kiddos, is how you catch a Pokemon.”, Juniper flatly states, picking up the Poke Ball and showing it to us, “Now, if you want to let the Pokemon out of its ball, either press the switch on the ball, or throw it on the ground. To return it to the ball, press the switch again, or tap the ball to the Pokemon. Any questions?”  
  
All three of us shake our heads.  
  
  
“Now, if you’re going to catch Pokemon for the Pokedex, you’re going to need some Poke Balls of your own.” Juniper fishes through her bag, pulling out the boxes, not dissimilar to the ones our Pokedexes were in. She hands one to each of us, and on opening, I find five Poke Balls and a bandolier.  
  
“What’s the strap for?”, Bianca asks.  
  
I take the liberty of answering. “It’s a bandolier. Soldiers use them to carry ammo, but we’re going to use them to carry our Poke Balls.”  
  
“Why are there only six clips on it”, Bianca questions, examining the bandolier “I’m going to be buying a lot more Poke Balls than that!”  
  
Cheren sighs. “The bandolier is so you have easy access to the six Pokemon you’re allowed to have on you. League’s rules, not mine, by the way. You can keep more balls in your bag, so long as they’re empty.”  
  
I snicker, for I am sixteen years old, and my mind works that way.  
  
“If i’m being honest”, Cheren says, “I’m surprised it took you this long to find something funny, considering all the things being said about balls.”  
  
“Well, I’m sorry for not living up to your expectations of how dirty my mind is. I mean, if you weren’t the complete opposite of every other sixteen-year-old boy, I’d expect you to be snickering.”  
  
Juniper sighs loudly, “You know what? I’ll leave you two to your productive dialogue. I’m heading back to the lab. Looking at the time, you probably won’t make Accumula by nightfall. There’s a rest stop along the way. Sleep there. With any luck, I’ll be seeing you three in Accumula tomorrow.” She returns Minccino to its Poke Ball and leaves. As Juniper drives off in her car, a bus pulls up, out of which bounds my mother.  
  
“Mom?”  
  
“Emily!”  
  
  
“What are you doing here?”  
  
“What-are-you-doing-here? Seriously? I’m your mother. I’m seeing you off.”  
  
I sigh. “I guess we never said goodbye properly, did we?”  
  
“Oh, no, this isn’t goodbye. I fully expect you to come home whenever you can.”  
  
“I’ll try, Mom.”  
  
“No, Emily. You won’t try, you will, you hear me?”, She starts crying softly, “I can’t believe my little girl is finally going off in to the big, wide world. You can come home whenever you feel like it, sweetheart. I’m going to miss you so, so much.”  
  
I find that tears are welling up in my eyes as my mother and I throw our arms around each other, “I’ll miss you too. Even if I can’t come home as much as I’d like to, we can still talk on the phone.”  
  
“Every day?”  
  
“That might be a little hard, but I’ll try and call you whenever I get some downtime.”  
  
“That sounds good.”  
  
We break our embrace, wiping our eyes. Mom shifts her gaze to Cheren.  
  
“Now.”, she says sternly, “you had better take care of Emily, or there will be hell to pay, young man.”  
  
“With all due respect, Ms. Sanders, I’m sure she can take care of herself.”, Cheren replies defensively.  
  
“I know, but, you know, ah, how do I say this?”, Mom fumbles with her words.  
  
“I get it.”, Cheren assures her.  
  
“You know what we should do?”, Bianca interjects, “We should all protect each other! That’s what friends are for, right?”  
  
“Now there’s an idea I think we can all get behind.”, Mom comments.  
  
I give my mother one last hug, and she kisses me on the cheek. “I love you, Emily.”  
  
“I love you too, Mom.”  
  
She walks back to the bus stop, and I turn back to my friends  
  
“My parents weren’t that emotional when I said goodbye.”, Cheren notes.  
  
“Yeah.”, I retort, “that’s because your parents are always working, and you don’t see them all too much anyway.”  
  
“Harsh!”, Bianca adds.  
  
Cheren sighs. “We’re both being harsh here, Em. I know how strong your bond is with your mother, and I respect that. I shouldn’t have said anything.”  
  
“It’s fine.”, I reply, “Anyway, we’ve got walking to do. We’re wasting daylight, people!”  
  
And with that, we walk off into the midday sun, taking the very first steps of our adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our first battle, some character development, and our protagonist's journey truly begins! I hope you're enjoying the story so far.


	4. Chapter 3: Sunsets

Chapter 3  
  
  
As beginnings go, this is a pretty boring one. We aren’t on an exploding train, or being attacked by zombies, or anything really. Route 1 is fairly peaceful, with the main path littered with walkers and joggers taking a break from Nuvema life. I hear the cries of wild Pokemon, not scary cries, but cute ones. The three of us follow the path with everyone else, the midday sun beating down on us. Cheren, sensibly, holds a bottle of water in one hand. Bianca’s eyes widen at the sights and sounds.  
  
“You know what?”, she ponders.  
  
“What?”, I question.  
  
“While I am gonna miss Nuvema Town, in some ways, I’m glad it’s behind me now. For instance, look at all this beautiful scenery!”  
  
“And this is just the start!”, Cheren adds excitedly, “Think of all the amazing places we’re going to see on this journey.”  
  
I reply, “Honestly, part of me is glad to be on the road because of some of the people. Those assholes at school who picked on the three of us just for being the people we were are people I’m so happy I’m rid of. I’ll show them who’s pathetic, and if that means going all the way to the Pokemon League, then so be it!”  
  
Cheren shrugs, “Shouldn’t you be more excited about all the great things we’re going to do together, and less about escaping your childhood enemies?”  
  
Bianca stretches her hands skyward, “Cheren’s right, Emily. Look at all this! Stop looking at the bad things from the past, and start being excited about all the good things in our future!”  
  
I sigh, “I guess you guys are right. Now, come on! Let’s pick up the pace! We have a rest stop to get to, don’t we?”  
  
“Actually”, Cheren inquires, “shouldn’t we maybe try and catch some Pokemon before we start moving too quickly? We do have Pokedexes to fill, and try as we might, we aren’t going to be beating gyms with just our starters. Especially not Striaton’s.”  
  
“Why not?”, Bianca quizzes.  
  
Cheren, knowledgeable as ever, replies, “There are three Gym Leaders: Chilli, Cress and Cilan. They use the three starter Pokemon types, and whichever starter you pick, you face the leader strong against it.”  
  
“That’s just dastardly!”, she exclaims.  
  
I stifle a laugh “Really, Bianca? Dastardly? Only cartoon villains say dastardly.”  
  
“Well I just said dastardly”, she replies defensively, “so deal with it!”  
  
“Anyway.”, I change the subject, “back to catching Pokemon. I’ve just realized something. I really don’t want to be infecting tons of Pokemon with Nuzlocke, now do I?”  
  
“If I may make a suggestion”, Cheren replies, “how about only catching the first Pokemon you encounter in a designated area?”  
  
It’s a surprisingly good idea “You think that one up yourself?”  
  
“Actually, no. I researched it a little while back. It’s an old Nuzlocke thing, started with the first person ever recorded to have what we currently call Nuzlcoke?”  
  
“You researched this stuff?”, I question, exasperated.  
  
“Of course I did. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t?”  
  
“You know, a non-weird one.”  
  
“Well, this weird guy’s been your best friend for, what, almost eight years now, and you haven’t batted an eyelid, so why are you starting now?”  
  
“I guess you’re right. Anyway, I like the idea. Also adds a bit of randomness to the mix, and that’s always interesting.”  
  
“So it’s settled.”  
  
  
We walk for a few more minutes while I ponder what exactly is going to constitute my first encounter. Bianca, ever the clumsy one, stumbles on a rock, and as I drop back to keep my pace level with hers, I am taken off my guard for long enough that a Lillipup manages to charge out of the tall grass and slam into my leg. Top-heavy as I am with my fully-laden backpack, the unexpected impact takes my leg out from under me, putting me face-down on the ground. Before either of my human companions come to aid, the canine Pokemon, which I am now eye-level with, rushes up to me.  
  
“Oh, sorry, did I hurt you?”, it- no, it sounds like a girl, it’s a she- worries, “I didn’t mean to, honest!”  
  
“No. I’m fine.”, I lie, groaning as I wait for the air that was knocked out of me to return.  
  
“You don’t look fine.”, she comments, cocking her head to one side.  
  
“You’re not going to ask about the talking thing?”  
  
“Oh, it’s fine. You have Nuzlocke, don’t you? My mommy told me about Nuzlocke, and how it lets people talk to Pokemon. I think that’s cool. Although”, she slows down, her expression turning downward slightly, “I think the death thing is less cool.”  
  
“You and me both, kid.”, I reply, pushing myself up off the ground, with a little help from Cheren. As I dust myself off, the Lillipup’s gaze turns to my Poke Balls.  
  
“So you’re a trainer?”, she quizzes.  
  
“Yeah, I am. This is my starter, Leonard.”, I say, releasing him from his ball. Immediately, he looks to me.  
  
“What do you want me to- wait. A Lillipup. A wild Lillipup.”  
  
“Don’t worry!”, she chuckles, “I don’t bite. At least not yet. My mommy bites, but only when she needs to protect me from bad Pokemon. My mommy is a big, strong, Stoutland. I wanna be a Stoutland someday.”  
  
I smile, “I think I can help you with that. What do you think about coming with me and Leonard?”  
  
“That sounds great!”  
  
“What about your mom?”, I ask.  
  
“Oh, she’s seen all my other brothers and sisters get caught by trainers and been fine with it. It’s like she expects it. If anything, she’s getting annoyed at me for staying too long.”  
  
“Well, if it’s not going to cause any problems, welcome to the team!”  
  
“Doesn’t she need a human name?”, Leonard asks.  
  
“Oh, right, I give my Pokemon names because it makes things less weird. As you know, Leonard has a name, so you should too. Hmm… how does Kelly sound?”  
  
“Kelly, huh? That’s a pretty name.”  
  
“Glad you like it.”. I grab a ball off my bandolier and tap it to Kelly’s forehead. It only needs to shake once before clicking shut. I immediately release Kelly from the ball.  
  
“Kelly, welcome to the team.”  
  
  
As I return Kelly to her ball, and her ball to my bandolier, I turn to Cheren and Bianca, and have a strange realization.  
  
“You two just watched me have a one-sided conversation with a Lillipup, who I then caught without a fight.”, I state matter-of-factly.  
  
“Yes.”, Cheren replies, “Yes we did.”  
  
“It was kind of weird, but we saw you do it with Snivy- sorry, Leonard- so we’re getting used to it by now.”, Bianca adds.  
  
“Aren’t you two going to catch any Pokemon?”, I question.  
  
“I think I’ll catch a Lillipup!”, Bianca replies instantly, “They’re so cute!”  
  
“I think I’ll wait for a while and see if I can catch a Purrloin.”, Cheren notes, “While Liepard might not be as much of a straight-up battler as Stoutland, it learns a lot of status moves that can turn a fight in its favor. Having only two elemental weaknesses, and a useful immunity to Psychic-type attacks, helps too.”  
  
Bianca sags slightly, “Now I feel bad bad for just wanting a Lillipup because it’s cute.”  
  
“Please, Bianca.”, he assures her, “don’t feel bad. Go. Catch you Lillipup.”  
  
“Thanks, Cheren!”  
  
She rushes off, returning a few minutes later cradling a Lillipup in her arms. I exchange a brief greeting with it before she returns it to its ball, and we set off once more, Bianca continuing to be amazed by every little thing around her, and Cheren slugging water from his bottle. I concentrate on walking. The rest stop is still a good ways away, but we should make it there in time for dinner. We walk along for a while, chatting about irrelevant stuff, before Bianca brings up the suspicious lack of other Pokemon trainers along Route 1.  
  
Cheren explains, “Since this route is traveled so infrequently, and between two towns that don’t have Gyms, trainers don’t tend to loiter around here, but we might want to train our Pokemon anyway in case we run in to any trainers further down the road.”  
  
Bianca and I nod in agreement, and we all send out our Pokemon. With Kelly and Leonard both by my side, I take the liberty of introducing them to everyone.  
  
“So, Kelly, Leonard”, I say, gesturing towards Cheren and Bianca, “these are my friends.”  
  
“I’ve met them.”, Leonard notes.  
  
“Anyway, the one with the glasses is Cheren. He’s kind of a nerd, but he’s always been there for me, and he’s the reason I know anything much about Pokemon.”  
  
“What’s a nerd?”, Kelly asks.  
  
“Oh, you aren’t exactly familiar with humans, aren’t you?”  
  
“No. Sorry.”  
  
“Oh, don’t be sorry. Anyway, a nerd is someone who knows a lot about something.”  
  
“Oh. So what does Cheren know a lot about?”  
  
“Pokemon. I swear, the guy’s a walking Bulbapedia.”  
  
“What’s a Bulbapedia?”  
  
“It’s an internet website where Pokemon nerds like Cheren note down information about Pokemon.”  
  
“What’s an internet website?”  
  
“I’ll show you later. It’s difficult to explain. Also, have I mentioned you’re cute?”  
  
“Aww, thanks!”  
  
“Anyway, that’s Cheren. The one in the big hat is Bianca. She’s a bit clumsy, but she’s got a big heart.”  
  
“Like my mommy?”  
  
“Yes, like your mommy, Kelly. Also, worth asking, what was your mother like, Leonard?”  
  
“I don’t know.”, he replies glumly, “Never really saw much of her. We Snivies are mass-bred like all the other starters, so we don’t see our mothers much. I do remember seeing her once or twice, though, or at least I think I do. She was a Serperior. I hope you can let me become a Serperior, Emily, because then I can be strong, because let’s face it, I’m not that strong right now.”  
  
“Well, we can fix that easily. Let’s get training.”  
  
  
Kelly and Leonard stand over a fainted Patrat, arguing about strength. I wasn’t aware two such small, cute creatures were capable of having such a heated argument, but they are.  
  
“Lenny, that last Tackle was awful”  
  
“Don’t call me Lenny and it was not!”  
  
“Fine, Leonard. My mommy could have done more damage by barking at you!”  
  
“I thought you were nice!”  
  
“Yeah, that was until I saw how bad you were at battling!”  
  
I interrupt “Break it up, you two. We can’t spend more time fighting each other than we do fighting other Pokemon.”  
  
“You know.”, Cheren comments, “it’s stuff like this that makes me think that being able to talk to Pokemon isn’t such a good thing.”  
  
“Honestly, they were great until this happened.”  
  
“Why don’t you just return them to their balls?”, Bianca suggests.  
  
“You, Bianca, are full of good ideas. Why didn’t I think of that?”  
  
Holding Leonard and Kelly’s Poke Balls in my hands, I withdraw my Pokemon. I feel both balls shake, their occupants still riled up and clearly wanting to continue their argument.  
  
“How about training your Pokemon individually, Emily?”, Cheren adds, “That way, they won’t be at each other’s throats about battling. Kelly’s quite weak, and Leonard hasn’t even learned a Grass move yet.”  
  
I sigh “Why do my friends get all the good ideas? Come on out, Leonard.”  
  
I throw the Poke Ball on the ground, and my Snivy emerges, immediately shrinking into himself slightly.  
  
“Oh. Is… is she gone? Phew. I, um, don’t take well to critique.”  
  
“Welcome to the real world, buddy, where sometimes, people don’t like the way you do things. Get over it.”  
  
“That’s no way to treat your starter Pokemon!”, Bianca accuses.  
  
“My point exactly. Now, come on, Leonard! Show me a Grass attack!”  
  
“I’ll,  um, I’ll try.”, he mumbles, before extending two vines from his body. He takes on an almost constipated expression as he tries to swing them about with any sort of power, but just ends up tiring himself out. I sigh very audibly.  
  
“You know what? Let’s just focus on your Tackle for a bit, why don’t we?”  
  
“That sounds alright.”  
  
  
It only takes a short trip into the tall grass to attract the ire of a wild Pattrat, which immediately fixates its gaze on Leonard. I start issuing orders.  
  
“Okay, Leonard! Go on the offensive! Use Tackle!”  
  
Leonard breaks into a run towards the Patrat before unsteadily transferring his momentum into a tail strike. The attack only leaves the Patrat reeling slightly, and Leonard a little off-balance. The rodent retaliates with a punch to Leonard’s gut, knocking him to the floor.  
  
“Okay, that’s just pathetic!”, I berate.  
  
“Wait for it”, he chuckles, still a little winded, “and NOW!”  
  
Out of nowhere, he unleashes a headbutt that sends the Patrat tumbling backwards as it closes its eyes, fainted. Unfortunately, Leonard managed to hurt himself in the process. He tries to reach his pained head to rub it, but his stubby arms fail him, so I take the liberty of giving him a quick head-rub.  
  
“That was awesome!”, I enthuse, giggling from it all, “Could you do that again, like, all the time?”  
  
“No.”, he groans, “It hurt.”  
  
“Damn.”  
  
“Wait, I think something’s happening.”  
  
Out of nowhere, a brief flash of orange light appears around Leonard. Judging by his noticeably calmer expression, it seems to have done something. I pull out my Pokedex to check.  
  
“Hmm.”, I mutter, poring over the results of the ‘dex’s quick scan, “Looks like you’ve leveled up, whatever that means.”  
  
“It’s kind of like a mini-evolution.”, Cheren, who is for some reason behind me, explains, “It’s a little rush of power that makes a Pokemon a little bit stronger. Sometimes, they learn new moves too. Hand me your Pokedex.”  
  
“What the hell are you doing looking over my shoulder?”  
  
“Well, Leonard seemed to be having an interesting battle, so I figured I’d watch.”  
  
“You should have asked.”  
  
“I didn’t feel it was necessary.”  
  
“You are insufferable.”  
  
“You’re pretty great yourself. Anyway, just give me the Pokedex.”  
  
I sigh “Fine.”  
  
Cheren takes a cursory glance at the screen, and his face lights up.  
  
“Ah! It seems as if Leonard, by leveling up, has learned Vine Whip!”  
  
“Okay, if you say so. Leonard, use Vine Whip!”  
  
“Okay.”, he replies, extending his vines before lashing out rapidly. The whipcrack is quiet, but still powerful, and I grab Leonard off the ground for a hug.  
  
“Okay, so that headbutt move was pretty awesome, but you just made whips with your body! That’s crazy!”  
  
Cheren sighs “You’ve watched Pokemon battles on TV with Pokemon that can biologically produce flamethrowers and blizzards, and you’re impressed by a Vine Whip?”  
  
“Hey! Seeing it in real life is different, okay!”  
  
Bianca rushes over to us.  
  
“We need to go, you guys. We’re wasting daylight here!”  
  
“Fine.”, I moan, “I did want to do some more training, but let’s just go.”  
  
  
I decide to let Kelly walk beside me and train on the go. Bianca insists on being cute and having her Lillipup walk beside her too. She says something about being buddies. I’m not entirely sure. I tend to tune out most friendship speeches. If you want to get ahead in life, you need to be strong, and while having the right friends can help, friendship is pretty low on the priorities list for getting stronger. I do have to admit, though, that I am warming up a little to  Leonard and Kelly. Kelly’s enthusiasm for the world knows no bounds. As we walk, she’ll poke her head into the territory of any Patrat or Lillipup we pass, seeing if they’re worth fighting. I use the word “territory” casually. These Pokemon don’t have territory in the sense that a notorious group of Jellicent or Scrafty have territory, more in the sense of a small radius within which you will probably get your toes bitten off. Kelly, despite being the least aggressive fighter on Earth, has good instincts when it comes to fights. She’s quick to escape from any fight she knows she can’t win, but she can win some fights, and we are quickly rewarded with the orange flash of power previously achieved by Leonard. A quick Pokedex scan reveals that she’s learnt Odor Sleuth. Cheren instantly pipes up.  
  
“Odor Sleuth. By homing in on a Pokemon’s scent, Kelly can hit Ghost-types with Normal moves, as well as being able to easily get a bead on a Pokemon that’s being evasive, say, if it uses Double Team.”  
  
“Why don’t you have Juniper’s job?”, I jokingly ponder.  
  
He takes it seriously “Science really isn’t my thing. I want to use my knowledge in battle to become the Champion.”  
  
“I have no doubt in my mind that you’re capable of that. Mainly because there wasn’t space for doubt anywhere, what with all the Pokemon knowledge you shoved in there.”  
  
“You’ll thank me later.”  
  
Kelly also proves herself to have another useful skill: scavenging. As we walk further, Kelly still brimming with joy from her level-up, something in the grass catches her eye. She darts in for her prize, almost completely obscured by flora, and after much rustling she emerges, triumphantly holding a spray bottle filled with purple liquid in her teeth.  
  
“Ooh!”, Bianca squeals, “I know that one! That’s a Potion! If you spray it on your Pokemon, it heals their wounds! Isn’t that amazing?”  
  
Mostly ignoring Bianca’s comment, I lean down to retrieve the bottle from Kelly’s mouth, while also giving her a congratulatory pat on the head “Nice find. This’ll be useful. Cheren, stick this thing in my pack, would you?”  
  
“On it.”  
  
Taking the Potion, he shoves it in my backpack, grumbling under his breath about how tight a fit it is. Returning Kelly to her ball for a rest, we continue towards the rest stop.  
  
  
After hours of walking, the rest stop is a welcome respite. While not quite as well-appointed as a Pokemon Center, it serves our needs just fine. It has food, and it has beds. We’ve all been here, since we came here on summer camp when we were about ten or so, but my memory is foggy. The woman at the front desk is young, can’t be past 25 from the looks of her. Her brown hair is tied into a neat bun, and she wears an off-white T-shirt. She greets the three of us with a welcoming smile.  
  
“Welcome to the Route 1 Rest Stop and Youth Hostel!”, she says, “What are you three doing out here?”  
  
Cheren steps forward “We’re Pokemon trainers from Nuvema. We’re headed for Accumula, but we don’t want to be out there”, he gestures towards the entrance, “when it gets dark. We’re just looking to stay the night, if it isn’t too much trouble.”  
  
“Oh, I see. Well, you’re in luck! Business has been a little slow lately, so you guys can have a dorm all to yourselves! It should easily be big enough for you and your Pokemon, and you can even get a discount if you show me your trainer’s license.”  
  
“That sounds excellent.”  
  
“Okay, just sign here.”  
  
The receptionist hands Cheren a clipboard with a form pen attached, and he fishes out his wallet from his pocket. He gives her his trainer’s license, and he fills in the form as she scans it. Cheren signs the form with a flourish, and hands over the necessary money. In return, the girl hands him the keys and wishes us well. Once we’re a little distance away, Bianca tenses up, her fingers twitching with excitement.  
  
“Oh my gosh, guys, we actually get a whole dorm all to ourselves! This is gonna be great!”, she squeals, releasing her excitement at the expense of my eardrums.  
  
“We’re only staying for one night.”, Cheren notes.  
  
“I know, just- agh! This is finally starting to sink in. We’re actually doing this. This is actually happening.”  
  
“I know.”, I reply, rolling my eyes at Bianca, “We’re excited too, just less inclined to express it by squealing like babies.”  
  
She crosses her arms over her chest, frowning “I wasn’t aware my friends were such jerks. That’s just how I express excitement. I thought you knew that.”  
  
Cheren grabs our shoulders firmly “You know why this is happening? We’re tired. We’ve been walking in the sun for hours, and we all need a little rest. Let’s get settled in.”  
  
  
It’s a good thing none of us felt like sausage, because Kelly and Bianca’s Lillipup are devouring the plateful we gave them. Leonard is slowly munching on a salad, which I’m still worried might be cannibalism, while Tepig and Oshawott, not having yet shown any likes or dislikes, are eating generic Pokemon feed from a plastic bowl. The three of us settled for instant noodles, since we didn’t want to waste money, and we’d already spent so much on food for the Pokemon. We sip from our freshly refilled water bottles for refreshment. We’re sat outside on a picnic bench for the benefit of the Pokemon, who are sitting on a grassy patch nearby. Our table affords us a perfect view of the sunset, so we watch as we eat. The sun descends towards the horizon, its orange glow radiating across the sky and reflecting on the ocean, as the crashing waves and cries of water Pokemon provide a calming aural background. I haven’t had the opportunity to watch the sunset like this in a long time, and that is a sad thing. Cheren turns to me.  
  
“Not bad for a first day, huh?”  
  
And as the world starts fading in to darkness, I glance at the beautiful sunset, then at my Pokemon messing around in the grass, then at my two best friends. My answer is obvious.  
  
“No. Not bad at all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're not even in Accumula yet, but we have our first new friend, and a little bit of world building as how all the levels and moves work. Next time, we should finally see ANOTHER TOWN. How amazing! 'Til next time.


	5. Chapter 4: Fanatics

Chapter 4  
  
  
“So if a Torchic eats fried Torchic, that’s cannibalism?”, I quiz, my head cocked to one side.  
  
“Of course it is, Emily.”, Cheren replies, “It’s a Torchic eating a Torchic.”  
  
“Well, the one being eaten has been killed, chopped up, and deep-fried, so that has to count for something? Doesn’t cannibalism require the one being eaten to be alive?”  
  
“That is not something I want on my search history.”  
  
“Jeez, guys!”, Bianca interrupts, “You’re putting me off my breakfast!”  
  
I sigh “We’ve been talking about Poke-cannibalism for a good five minutes now, and you’re only just bringing this up?”  
  
“Well, I was trying to tune it out, but then it just got to be too much. Why were you even talking about it anyway?”  
  
“Last night at dinner, I was wondering if Leonard’s salad was cannibalism, I brought it up with Cheren just now, and the rest is recent history.”  
  
“You are the worst.”  
  
Bianca gives me an indignant look before returning to her cereal, which she approaches much more gingerly. Cheren and I continue eating in earnest, unfazed by the topic of our conversation. The Pokemon don’t need feeding right now. Something to do with the Poke Balls lowering their energy requirements or something. Cheren knows this stuff. Anyway, the end result is that you can get away with not feeding them as often as us comparatively useless humans need to be fed. Speaking of useless humans, why haven’t Pokemon taken over the world yet? They’re most certainly stronger than us; a powerful Fighting-type could probably kill someone in a couple of seconds, and nothing short of a nuke could stop some of the more defensive Steel-types. With Psychic-types, there’s no doubt they’re smarter than us. How the hell did we survive for long enough to domesticate these damn things? What a strange thought.  
  
  
After breakfast, we collect our stuff from the room, Cheren gives back the key, and we hit the road again. Gazing through the narrow copse of trees that separates the path from the ocean, the memory of last night’s incredible sunset rushes to the front of my thoughts.  
  
“Man, yesterday was great.”, I remark, “Especially that sunset.”  
  
“Yeah.”, Cheren replies, “I mean, all of yesterday was pretty good, but that was one of the highlights.”  
  
“I dunno.”, Bianca ponders, “There’s probably been dozens of sunsets around here just like that one, we just weren’t concentrating on them.”  
  
“That’s one way of looking at it.”, Cheren comments.  
  
We keep on walking until we are interrupted by Cheren’s Xtransceiver buzzing. With the touch of a button, Professor Juniper’s voice fills our ears. We crowd around Cheren to hear whatever it is she has to say.  
  
“Kids!”, she enthuses, “How’s it going?”  
  
“It’s going great, Professor.”, Cheren replies, “Emily and Bianca both caught Lillipup, but I’m biding my time until I can catch a Purrloin.”  
  
“Well, I’d prefer you to be filling up your Pokedex pages, but whatever floats your boat, I guess. You guys get some good rest last night?”  
  
“Yep.”, I interject, “We’re all rested up, and we just hit the road a little while back.”  
  
“Good, great, awesome! Anyway, I’m in Accumula right now, drove over yesterday. I need to show you a few things, so see you in a bit.”  
  
“Bye, Juniper!”, Bianca exclaims before Cheren hangs up.  
  
“We should get a move on.”, I note, “I wanna be in Accumula for lunch.”  
  
“I second that notion.”, Cheren adds.  
  
“Thirded.”, Bianca finishes.  
  
We continue on the path, rested, fed, and ready for anything.  
  
  
We walk, mostly in silence, until we reach Accumula, the sun already rising rapidly towards its peak in the sky. The place where route stops and town begins is similarly uncomplicated to Nuvema’s, and also similarly to Nuvema’s, we encounter Professor Juniper there. This time, she stands beside a windowed van bearing the logo of the Juniper Pokemon Lab. We lack the energy to rush towards her, so we adopt a leisurely canter for this last tiny bit of our journey. Juniper beckons us over with hand motions and a wide, genuine smile. Juniper is a smiler. She always finds a reason to be happy about something or other.  
  
“Kids! How was the walk/“  
  
“A bit tiring, but pretty fun.”, I reply.  
  
“The sunset last night was amazing!”, Bianca adds.  
  
“Tepig and I got in a little training.”, Cheren continues.  
  
“Great, great, great. Tell me all about it later. Get in the van; I want to show you something.”, she finishes, pulling open the van’s sliding door. We hop in, and I pull the door shut as Juniper starts the engine. She pulls away with the kind of control you’d expect from a scientist, and we gaze out at the sights of Accumula, which would probably be boring to most people, but may as well be El Dorado or Atlantis by our standards. At this time of day, the streets buzz with life as people go out for Sunday lunch with friends and loved ones.  
  
“Where exactly are we going?”, I question, “I’m getting hungry.”  
  
“You’ll be able to get food where we’re going.”, Juniper assures me.  
  
“That doesn’t answer my question.”  
  
Juniper doesn’t respond.  
  
We continue through the town until a large building with a bright red roof comes into view. Juniper parks the van outside and beckons us out.  
  
“This”, she says, gesturing towards the building, “is a Pokemon Center. These League-funded facilities are designed to fulfill any need a Pokemon Trainer might have, and since you three have trainer’s licenses, it’s all free.”  
  
‘You are shitting me.”, I utter, dumbfounded, “How can they give this stuff away for free?”  
  
“I am not shitting you. The Pokemon League is very generous. Let’s go inside.”  
  
  
As we enter through the automatic doors, the full magnitude of the place is revealed. Front and center are a nurse and her Audino standing behind a desk and in front of some kind of hexagonal machine with slots for, well, presumably Poke Balls. Immediately to her left is a computer terminal with a Poke Ball holder, whose purpose is also unclear. On the right is something that at least makes sense. It’s a store. They’ve got kind of a blue motif going on, and two clerks tapping away at cashiers. There’s a door behind them that must lead to some kind of storeroom, just by logic. On the left is a rest area of sorts, with big couches, beanbags, colorful carpets and well-stocked bookshelves. There must be even more stuff upstairs, but I probably need to listen to Juniper right now. She leads us over to the nurse’s desk.  
  
“Professor Juniper!”, the nurse squeals, “So glad to see you’re in town! I see you’re giving these lovely young trainers the tour.”  
  
“That I am.”, she replies, “Everyone, this is Nurse Joy. Just give her your Pokemon, and she’ll heal them up with the machine behind her.”  
  
“So that’s what it does.”, Bianca says, “Nice to know.”  
  
“Wait a minute.”, I question, “Joy? Is that your real name?”  
  
“Nah. Nurse Joy’s just a title given to us Center nurses. We might be different, but they call us the same thing for familiarity’s sake.”  
  
“Like James Bond?”  
  
“Pretty much. Different faces, same name.”  
  
“Anyway.”, Juniper interjects, “just give your Poke Balls to Nurse Joy, and she’ll stick ‘em in the machine and heal up your team. Give it a try!”  
  
I tentatively remove Leonard and Kelly’s Poke Balls from my bandolier and hand them to Nurse Joy. She places them in the slots on the machine and presses a button. The slots produce three pulses of blue light, then the machine pings. Joy removes the balls and hands them back to me. I send out Leonard and Kelly.  
  
“What was that?”, Leonard asks.  
  
“I dunno.”, Kelly replies, “It felt weird, but at the same time, it felt really good.”  
  
“If what I’ve been told is true”, I explain, “then you two just got fully healed.”  
  
Leonard runs his hands over his body “I think you’re right.”  
  
“Well, that’s good, because we can do that for free at any Pokemon Center.”  
  
I return my Pokemon to their balls, and Juniper continues the tour. Next stop: the computer.  
  
“Now, this is amazing. On the outside, it mostly just looks like any old computer, but the Poke Ball slot gives the game away. This computer is connected to the Pokemon Storage System. Just insert your trainer card in this slot here”, she enthuses, gesturing to a slot next to the ball holder, “and you’ll be able to access your Boxes. Each Box can store up to thirty Pokemon as data, and you start with fourteen of them- Boxes, I mean. You can put your Pokemon in a box manually, but if you catch a Pokemon and already have six with you, your Pokedex will convert it to data and send it via satellite to an empty spot in your box.”  
  
“Wow.”, Bianca utters, amazed.  
  
“Fun fact: the administrator of the Unova box system is a friend of mine, name of Amanita. You might meet her on your journey, so if you do, say hi to her for me.”  
  
We all nod, still amazed at the Pokemon Storage System’s capabilities. Juniper leads us over to the very blue store.  
  
“This is a Poke Mart. No crazy tech here. They just sell anything a trainer could need. Poke Balls, healing items, Pokemon repellent; you need it, they have it. Simple as that. Tour over!”  
  
“Good.”, I quip, “I was getting hungry.”  
  
  
Lunch is uneventful. For the sake of convenience, we eat at the Pokemon Center’s cafeteria. I stop off at the Poke Mart to buy some potions and Poke Balls , and Juniper decides to head back to Nuvema. Before leaving, she gives us a small errand.  
  
“You kids are going to Striaton to challenge the Gym, right?”  
  
“Of course.”, Cheren replies.  
  
“Yep.”, I add.  
  
“Um, I guess?”, Bianca finishes.  
  
“Well, I’ve got an old friend of mine who lives there. Her name’s Fennel. She’s a researcher, just like I am. Fennel can be… odd, but she has a gifted mind. Last time we talked, she told me she’d been working on a few things young trainers like you might be interested in.”  
  
“Sounds interesting.”, Bianca notes.  
  
“We’ll be sure to swing by.”, I affirm.  
  
“Awesome! See you around!”  
  
With that, she leaves, and for a few seconds, the three of us just stand in the foyer of the Center like idiots, despite knowing exactly where we’re going next. I decide to leave first, and the others follow. The spring air is refreshing, and I let Kelly out so she can experience it. Judging by the amount of people around, I figure it’s for the best that Leonard stays in his ball. Kelly immediately climbs on to my shoulder.  
  
“Wow. Look at all these people, Emily! Why are there so many of them? It’s a little weird.”  
  
“Welcome to my world, Kelly. You’re right, though. That is a whole lot of people. Let’s go see what all the ruckus is about.”  
  
Approaching the congregation, Kelly’s keen eyes quickly spot the center of all these people’s attention.  
  
“Hmm. There’s a stage- that’s what you humans call it, right? And there’s a man on the stage, and he has green hair, and he’s wearing a really weird gold and purple dress, and what even is that around his neck? Behind him are some other people, and they’re wearing grey clothes that look really stupid. Except for the thing on the torso. It’s the letter P, and there’s a letter Z behind it. That looks cool.”  
  
As the stage comes into focus, Kelly’s description isn’t far off. A tall, imposing man with unkempt green hair stands center stage, wearing a cloak with an elaborate gold and purple pattern that looks straight out of a palace. I’m not entirely sure what the thing around his neck is, either. It’s brown, except for a few blue highlights, and it bears the emblem that Kelly described, and looks kind of like a castle’s parapet. What sane man would wear that thing? Hell, what sane man would wear any piece of his ensemble? I’m no fashion guru- I leave that stuff to Bianca- but this is an insult to good taste! The people behind him are wearing outfits are probably trying to give off a medieval knight feel, but just end up looking stupid. I have to agree with Kelly, though. The emblem does look pretty cool.  
  
“What is going on here?”, a familiar voice asks from beside me.  
  
“Cheren?”  
  
“Just wanted to see what was happening. You got any ideas?”  
  
“No.”, I reply,”Although, looking at the way Mr. Tasteless up there is sizing up that microphone, I’d say we’re about to find out.”  
  
Mr. Tasteless approaches the microphone, gives it a few cursory taps to check if it’s on, then begins. His voice is intimidating and sly, making me wonder about his intent.  
  
  
“Hello, people of Accumula Town. You’re probably wondering what all this fuss is about. Well, then, listen, and I shall tell you. My name is Ghetsis, and I am here representing Team Plasma. Now today, I am here to talk to you about Pokemon liberation.”  
  
Hushed whispers emanate from the crowd.  
  
“Now, I hear you scoff “Pokemon liberation? That’s ridiculous? What could you possibly be liberating them from?”. The answer is simple. You. And you. And you too. All of you.”  
  
The crowd either gasps or screams insults. I do the latter, but it is lost in the cacophony.  
  
“Now, we all like to think that the relationship between humans and Pokemon is a two-way street. But is it really? Think of all the Pokemon that are used in industry, stretched to their limits for the sake of consumerism. Think of our leaders, the Pokemon League, who sanction battles where Pokemon beat each other to within an inch of their lives. Is that really what we want to be doing to these creatures? As long as Pokemon stay trapped inside Poke Balls or factories, they will never truly flourish. If only more than a few people could understand Pokemon! If we could hear the voices of our Pokemon, what would they say? Would you listen to them? Would you continue to treat them so indecently? Perhaps liberation is the only true answer. I implore you to consider your relationship with your Pokemon. Team Plasma! We are leaving!”  
  
“Yes, Ghetsis.”, the people in the knight costumes reply robotically, before forming up around him. They all walk away in silence, at which point the crowd explodes into noise. Cheren pulls me aside.  
  
“What the hell was that?”, he questions, rapidly letting out a drawn breath.  
  
“I have no idea, but it sounded like a whole heap of shit.”  
  
“I didn’t understand some of it.”, Kelly adds, “but I got the basics. You aren’t going to lib-er-ate me, are you, Emily?”  
  
“Of course not!”, I reply earnestly, giving her a reassuring pat on the head.  
  
I hear a timid voice from behind me.  
  
“Um, hello?”  
  
  
Turning around to face the source of the voice, I see a boy who can’t be much older than me, maybe seventeen. He wears a white collared shirt and grey pants. His hair is a pale green not dissimilar to that of Ghetsis. Some of said hair is hidden by a baseball cap, while some of it is tied into a long ponytail. A strange puzzle doohickey hangs from a necklace. He’s strange, but in a different way from Ghetsis. He’s also hideously unconfident.  
  
“Um, I, uh, heard you talking to your Pokemon, and I heard you talking back?”  
  
“So you’re like me? Huh. Never thought I’d find another. Got Nuzlocke, or did the Poke-whispering come on its own.”  
  
“The latter. I’m assuming you’re afflicted with the former.”  
  
“Speak English!”  
  
“Do you have Nuzlocke?”  
  
“Sadly, yes.”  
  
“Alright, then. Um, anyway, my name is N.”  
  
Cheren interrupts, “Well, hello, N. I’m Cheren, and this is Emily.”  
  
I whisper in his ear, “You’re not even slightly taking the piss out of the fact that his name is N?”  
  
“I’m trying to be polite, okay?”  
  
“The two of you are not very good at whispering.”, N interjects, “No, my given name is not N, but to you, and everyone else, my name is N.”  
  
“Okay, then.”, I continue, “So, what do you want?”  
  
“You saw that Ghetsis man up on the stage, correct?”  
  
“Of course I frickin’ did, what else would I be doing here?”  
  
“You are very rude. Anyway, are you two, perchance, on your journeys? Filling out the Pokedex?”  
  
“Well, because of my condition, I”m only catching the first thing I run in to in an area, but he’s filling out ‘dex pages. Or at least he’s going to.”  
  
“Hmm. What a shame. I guess you’ll spend your days mindlessly confining Pokemon to Poke Balls for the sake of research. Are Pokemon really happy that way?”  
  
“Wait a minute? Are you with those Team Plasma crazies?”  
  
“Um… no? No, I’m not.”  
  
“You know what, whether you’re with Team Plasma or not, I think that whole Pokemon liberation thing is stupid.”  
  
“Me too!”, Kelly adds.  
  
“Well, that’s your opinion. I simply wish to hear more of your Pokemon’s voice. Purrloin!”  
  
A purple, feline Pokemon comes out from behind his legs.  
  
“Alright then. Kelly! Get that thing!”  
  
“Okay.”  
  
She hops off my shoulder and enters a fighting stance, as does N’s Purrloin.  
  
  
“Alright, Kelly, keep using Tackle until it goes down!”  
  
“Purrloin! Do the same with Scratch!”  
  
Kelly rushes towards the Purrloin and tackles it to the ground. Despite being at a disadvantage, it retaliates with a quick swipe of its claws. Kelly retreats before going in for another Tackle. N’s Purrloin has only just recovered from the first one before being knocked to the ground again, still giving Kelly a Scratch in return. I order her to repeat this action one last time for a finishing blow.  
  
“Alright”, she says, a glint in her eye, “this is for Emily, my trainer and my friend! YEAAAAAAAAAH!”  
  
She barrels towards the Purrloin and, at the last second, pushes down and leaps off the ground, and a split second later, she comes down on the Purrloin in a flying tackle. The creature’s squeal is muffled by the significant amount of fur separating it from our ears. As Kelly retreats off Purrloin, we see hat its eyes are closed, and its breath is shallow. Kelly’s attack knocked it out cold.  
  
“Hahaha, yeah! Go Kelly!”, I enthuse.  
  
“Did I do good? Did I do good, Emily?”  
  
“Yes, Kelly. You did good.” I give her a pat on the head.  
  
“Purrloin? Are you alright?”, N exclaims.  
  
“Relax, kid, just take it to Nurse Joy and she’ll heal it right up.”  
  
“Um, okay?, he says, while handing me a small bundle of money, “Anyway, as per Pokemon League regulations, here’s your reward money. Your Pokemon, some of the things it said…”  
  
“What do you means? It was just Kelly being Kelly.”  
  
“You know what? It doesn’t matter. Continue on your journey if you wish. I hope to see you again, Emily.”  
  
He rushes off, the fainted Purrloin in his arms.  
  
“What a strange person.”, Cheren comments.  
  
“You think?”  
  
“Yes, I think.”  
  
“We should get going. It isn’t as long a walk to Striaton, but we’re still wasting daylight.”  
  
Before we set off, I head back to the Pokemon Center to heal Kelly, and find myself thinking about N? What does he want? Is he connected to Team Plasma? And what was so shocking to him about the things Kelly said? As much as I don’t want to run in to N again, I’m eager to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day two of Emily's journey is well underway. We've met Ghetsis, and N. This one is a little shorter than the last two, but it does what's needed. 'Til next time.


	6. Chapter 5: Infinity

Chapter 5  
  
  
In the Pokemon Center, I decide to let Leonard out of his ball. He definitely missed a lot with the whole Ghetsis and N business. I let him out on a table and take a seat, now at eye level with him.  
  
“I was in my ball for a while.”, Leonard comments, “Did I miss anything?”  
  
“As a matter of fact, yes.”  
  
“What did I miss?”  
  
“Two things. First, there was a guy called Ghetsis who wore this really ugly, I guess medieval-themed, outfit. He had green hair as well, so that was weird. He had a group of people in knight costumes with him, who were part of Team Plasma, this guy’s Pokemon rights group. He gave this speech about how humans are abusing Pokemon and we should release them immediately.”, I state in a gruff parody of Ghetsis’ voice, waggling a finger mock-sternly.  
  
“I don’t like the sound of that.”, Leonard replies, his hands trembling ever so slightly.  
  
“Believe me, buddy, I don’t either. Anyway, after those guys were done, this guy, can’t have been more than seventeen, walked up to me. Told me his name was N, and that he could talk to Pokemon. Had green hair too, believe it or not. Then, he started talking about some of the stuff Ghetsis had said, y’know, all the Pokemon cruelty and such. Then he battled me with his Purrloin, but Kelly took care of that. Isn’t that right, girl?”  
  
“Yeah!”, she enthuses, “I think I even learned a new move!”  
  
“Alright, then.”, I say, taking out my Pokedex, “Let’s see what we have here.”  
  
While scanning Kelly, my finger slips on to a button and a synthetic voice starts blabbing through the ‘dex’s speaker.  
  
“Since your last scan, your Lillipup has grown to level eight. It has learned the following new moves: Bite.”  
  
I scan the display for details “Alright, let’s see. Dark-type, might be nice if we run into ghosts, decent power, this is all good news. Nice one, Kelly.”  
  
“Aww, thanks!”  
  
As I put my Pokedex away, my phone buzzes in my pocket. Turns out it’s a text from Cheren. I read it out loud. Not sure why. It kind of comes subconsciously.  
  
“Emily. I’m heading out to Striaton now. I figured we’d all move faster if we went alone. Sorry if that disappoints you.”  
  
I shrug and write my reply.  
  
“That’s fine by me. See you in Striaton.”  
  
  
As I heft my pack on to my back again, a strand of my hair is yanked downwards between my bag and my back. Briefly wincing from the pain, I mentally kick myself for again forgetting to tie my hair into its usual high ponytail. I set to work tying up my hair as Leonard and Kelly watch on.  
  
“What are you doing to your hair?”, Kelly quizzes.  
  
“It’s a ponytail.”, I reply, “Fun fact: they used to call it a Ponyta-tail, but lazy people decided that the double “ta” was annoying to say, so they shortened it.”  
  
“Well, it’s a good thing those people never found out about Rattata.”, Leonard adds, eliciting a chuckle from Kelly and I.  
  
“Why do you do it?”, Kelly continues.  
  
“Well, some people”, I remark with a grumble, “do a low ponytail because it’s supposed to look pretty. I do a high ponytail for less superficial reasons. Keeps my hair out of my eyes, stops it from catching on anything, lots of stuff.”  
  
I finish tying the ponytail and turn back to my Pokemon. Kelly looks over my shoulder, examining my handiwork.  
  
“I think it looks nice.”, she comments.  
  
“Well, it’s really not supposed to, but each to their own, I guess. Now, back in your balls, we have places to be.”  
  
“Actually”, Leonard asks, “could I stay out of my ball for a bit, like Kelly did?”  
  
“How do I know you’re not going to slow us down?”  
  
“He can ride on your shoulder, like I did!”, Kelly suggests, “And can I stay out of my ball too? Pretty please?”  
  
I sigh “Fine, fine. You two aren’t that heavy, and it’ll be nice to have someone to talk to with Cheren and Bianca gone.”  
  
Leonard smiles, Kelly giggles, and I return their empty Poke Balls to my bandolier as they clamber up my body and on to my shoulders: Leonard on the right, and Kelly on the left. Even my jacket fails to completely shield me from the feeling of small, curious limbs scrambling across me. It’s odd, but not painful. Ticklish would be a more accurate description. As I leave the Pokemon Center, I feel Leonard gently nuzzling my neck.  
  
“Cold, or being affectionate?”, I quiz.  
  
“Bit of both, I guess. Am I bothering you?”  
  
“Not really.”  
  
The crowd that gathered to listen to Ghetsis’ speech has dissipated, but walking past small clumps of people elicits snippets of conversation about Pokemon liberation. Every mention of how Ghetsis might be right, of how we should all release our Pokemon, makes my blood boil. Hell, just knowing that there are people stupid enough to believe the things he said makes my blood boil. The way I see it, with people like that all around, the sooner I leave this town, the better.  
  
  
I’m not entirely sure why I was excited to see this place, as I’ve been here for about two hours and I’m already bored. It’s just a town. There are streets with people and cars on them. There are houses. There are businesses. It’s like Nuvema, just bigger. With this in mind, I realize that Route 2 probably won’t be all that different from Route 1. I really hope this gets interesting soon, because so far, this so-called adventure has just been a whole lot of walking. At least Leonard and Kelly seem excited. They’re constantly shifting their gazes, seemingly in awe of everything. It’s all new to them. For me, it’s all monotony: walking and following signs. As I pass another sign, the monotony is broken by my phone ringing. I fish it out of my pocket and check the caller ID. It’s my mom, eliciting an immediate answer.  
  
“Hi, mom.”, I utter flatly.  
  
“Hi, sweetie! How’s it going? Where are you now? Caught any more Pokemon?”  
  
“It’s going fine, mom. I’m in Accumula, but I’m heading out to Route 2. I caught a Lillipup, named her Kelly, and of course I’ve got Leonard, my Snivy.”  
  
“Oh, wow! Heading to Striaton, I presume?”  
  
“Well, duh! Where else does Route 2 lead?”  
  
“Don’t give me your sass, young lady! I’m your mother, for crying out loud!”  
  
“Fine, fine, fine. I guess I’m just a little tired from all this walking.”  
  
“Alright, then. Anyway, I was just calling to say that I love you, and I miss you so much!”  
  
“I’ve only been gone a day, mom! Jeez!”  
  
“I know, I know, just… it’s a little lonely around the house without you. I mean, sometimes it’s nice not having an irritating teenage girl around the house, but I don’t exactly have a lot of people to talk to around here.”  
  
“I guess you’re right on that one. Cheren’s parents are always busy with their work, and Bianca’s… eugh.”  
  
“Well, her mother’s nice, but her father really is a piece of work, isn’t he?”  
  
“That he is.”  
  
“I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do without you around. I mean, I’ve got my friends, but I haven’t been seeing them much lately. Raising a teenager by yourself is pretty time-consuming.”  
  
A few thoughts I’ve been having for the duration of the call come together into one coherent plan.  
  
“You know what?”, I suggest, “How about I call up Professor Juniper and ask her to stop by every so often? She’s a nice enough person, and she’s definitely keeping track of me. She’ll be happy to tell you where I am and my general status. Probably.”  
  
“That sounds like a great idea, Em! Good to see you’re looking out for your mother.”  
  
I chuckle “Mom, just because I’m going off on this big journey does’t mean I’m forgetting about you. You’re still my mom, no matter how far apart we are.”  
  
“Thanks, sweetie. That means a lot. Anyway, you call Juniper, and you keep on going. I love you!”  
  
“Love you too, mom. See you.”  
  
“Bye!”  
  
“Bye.”  
  
As I return my phone to my pocket, Kelly gently nudges me.  
  
“Was that your mommy on the phone?”  
  
“Yes, yes it was.”  
  
“She sounds nice.”  
  
“Yeah, she is. Damn good at her job, too, considering she’s been raising me by herself for eight years. Where did you learn the word phone anyway?”  
  
“I learned a lot of words from the people on Route 1.”  
  
“Also.”, Leonard comments, “you said “by herself”. Don’t you have a father? If you don’t, then where did you come from?”  
  
I sigh “It’s complicated. Can we not talk about it, like, for a long time?”  
  
“Okay.”, Kelly replies.  
  
“Sure.”, Leonard adds.  
  
“Thanks, guys. Anyway, onwards! Route 2 awaits!”  
  
  
The entrance to Route 2 is slightly more notable than the last route entrance I passed. There’s a gatehouse with open ends, and a guard who waves to me as I pass. Off to the left as I exit the gatehouse is a large boulder blocking off a small path. In front of the boulder is a man in a red uniform. He paces up and down, spouting obscenities that are illegible at this distance, while his Herdier watches in puzzlement. My curiosity officially piqued, I approach him. He hears my approaching footsteps and turns his head in my direction, still muttering curses.  
  
“-screw this boulder, screw the rangers- hey! What do you want?”  
  
“I was just curious.”, I reply honestly, “What’s your deal?”  
  
“Oh-um-okay. Sorry. I’m a Pokemon Ranger, and this is my partner Pokemon, Herdier.”  
  
“Hello, Herdier.”, I greet the Pokemon, “How you doing?”  
  
“Alright, I- wait. Master! MASTER! This female is talking to me! And I can understand her! What is this?”  
  
“Herdier!”, the Ranger pleads, “What’s wrong? Wait. Were you talking to Herdier?”  
  
“Yeah, I’ve got Nuzlocke. What’s it to you?”  
  
“Wait, your Snivy… you’re going on a journey, aren’t you?”  
  
“Yep.”  
  
“You’re fucking crazy, you know that?”  
  
“I get that a lot. Anyway, what’s with the rock?”  
  
“This ‘rock’, as you insist on calling it, ended up here through circumstances we don’t understand. The Rangers decided to check it out, but who do they send?”  
  
His face becomes livid, and one of his eyes starts twitching from under the brim of his hat. He starts gesturing wildly, and his overall demeanor conjures images of a puppet possessed by some malevolent spirit.  
  
“Me. Fuckin’ me. The guy with the fucking Herdier, because a fucking Herdier is definitely the solution to moving a huge-ass boulder! And I’ve been standing here for hours, thinking “what the fuck do I do?”. I called for one of our Excadrill guys a couple of hours ago, and he still hasn’t fucking arrived! Fuck the Rangers! Fuck ‘em!”  
  
“Whoa, hold on, dude, calm down!”  
  
“I. AM NOT. CALM.”  
  
The man’s Herdier rushes up to him, whimpering, its face hung with disappointment. The Ranger turns to his Pokemon, and his gnarled expression softens. He unclenches his teeth and drags a hand over his face in embarrassment.  
  
“Oh, shit! Herdier, I’m… sorry you had to see that. You know that I’m angry right now, but, uh-“  
  
I interrupt “This is my fault, isn’t it?”  
  
“You know what? Maybe it is. Maybe it isn’t. The point is, I snapped, and you didn’t deserve what you got.”  
  
“Apology accepted. Anyway, tell me about these Excadrill guys. They sounds interesting.”  
  
The Ranger strokes his chin “Well, as Ranger Pokemon go, Excadrill’s pretty good. Massive utility. Not only are they amazing diggers, which helps in emergency situations when people or Pokemon are trapped, but Excadrill is also useful in times like these because it can, with a bit of effort, move rocks, earth, and even steel with its mind.”  
  
  
My jaw drops. I was never taught this shit! I only knew that most Psychic-types had telekinesis, but any idiot ought to know that. I use this moment to take a better look at the boulder. Easily ten feet in diameter, shaded a million hues of earthy brown, and chipped, cracked and worn down all over as a testament to the sheer power of Mother Nature. How did something as large as this end up here? And how is a tiny little Excadrill supposed to move all of it?  
  
“You’re probably curious as to how that works, huh?”  
  
“You think?”  
  
“Yeah, I think. Anyway, all Pokemon have a certain degree of psychokinetic control over the elements that define them. Stronger Pokemon get more control. For example, your Snivy can’t do much now, but once he becomes a Serperior, he’ll be making vines burst out of the ground like it’s nothing. The whole thing’s to do with Infinity Energy, the innate energy of Pokemon. And no, before you ask, I don’t know jack squat about that. If you must know, ask the guys at Devon in Hoenn. They discovered it, after all.”  
  
“So long as this Infinity Energy stuff helps me out, I don’t need to know how it works.”  
  
“Good to see we share the same view on the matter. So, back to Excadrill, normally, it can only move the ground and metal with its mind. It’s not great at moving rocks. It can do it, since they’re related to the ground, but it can’t move them very far without exerting itself to unsafe levels. However, Excadrill’s rock-moving capabilities can be enhanced by teaching it a Rock-type move. Fortunately for us, they learn Rock Slide as Drilbur.”  
  
“Thanks for the info. I’ll be sure to take it in to account should I ever train an Excadrill, although I doubt that’ll happen.”  
  
“Pfft! Drilbur are about as rare as dirt in caves! You’ll find one, I’m sure of it.”  
  
“Sure. Thanks!”  
  
I leave the Ranger and his Herdier to wait for their backup, and return to a more pressing matter. This is a new route, so, by my restrictions, I get to catch the first thing I run in to.  
  
“Alright, boys and girls.”, I signal to my team, “Time to catch something.”  
  
Kelly hops off my shoulder and darts through the grass, returning with a large stick held proudly in her teeth.  
  
“Kelly”, I grumble, “that’s a nice stick, but a stick isn’t going to be much use in a battle.”  
  
“Aww.”, she moans, “Can we at least play fetch?”  
  
She’s a Lillipup. She found a stick. Of course she wants to play fetch. I don’t know what I was expecting.  
  
“Alright”, I sigh, defeated, “We can play fetch.”  
  
“Yay!”  
  
I take the stick from her, and launch it with a powerful underhand throw. The thoroughly un-aerodynamic stick twists off course slightly, giving Kelly the indication of how to give chase. She starts through the grass, eyes targeted firmly on her prize, until, just as the stick hits the soft dirt beneath the grass, a purple blur emerges from a clump of foliage and snatches it up. Kelly rapidly recalibrates, adopting an intercept trajectory and speeding up. She races up behind the blur and bites down, eliciting a yelp of pain. I approach Kelly, and see her triumphantly holding a Purrloin by its tail between her teeth. Kelly’s stick lies on the ground, presumably dropped in pain.  
  
“Kelly, drop it.”  
  
She reluctantly releases the Purrloin’s tail, and the purple feline sizes me up, eyes narrowed and ears pricked up. It speaks.  
  
“Hijo de puta, senôrita! That your Lillipup? She’s loco!”, it rants. Its voice is female, so I guess it’s a she. However, that’s not the confusing part. My head cocked to one side in utter puzzlement, I utter one word.  
  
“Spanish?”  
  
  
“Si, senôrita. I am not your ordinary Purrloin. I am a Spanish Purrloin.”  
  
“But… how is that possible?”  
  
“My mami and papi hail from Espanôl, miss…”  
  
“Emily. My name is Emily.”  
  
“Si. Emily.”  
  
“Yeah. The Snivy’s Leonard, and the Lillipup- the one you called crazy- is Kelly.”  
  
The three Pokemon exchange brief greetings, with a sense of vitriol still running between Kelly and Purrloin.  
  
“Anyway”, I continue, “the situation. I”m a Trainer, I have Nuzlocke, and I can only catch the first thing I find in an area. So, you wanna come with?”  
  
“Heh. A loco one. I like you. I’m in.”  
  
“First, you’ll need a name. How does Maria sound?”  
  
“It’s Spanish enough. Doesn’t sound too bad either. I can live with Maria.”  
  
I grab the third Poke Ball from my bandolier and press it to Maria’s forehead. It swallows her up, and clicks. I immediately let her out.  
  
“Welcome to the team!”, I enthuse.  
  
“Glad to be here.”, she replies, “Hey, can I stay outside of my ball, like those two? I like the freedom.”  
  
“Fine.”, Kelly replies before I can, “You can hang out on my shoulder. Wouldn’t want to be near you.”  
  
Kelly mumbles something under her breath, to which Maria hisses as she clambers up to my shoulder. Having caught what I allowed myself, I continue on.  
  
“Um, Emily?”, Leonard asks.  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Didn’t you say something earlier about giving the Professor a call?”  
  
“Oh, shit, I did! Gotta do that?”  
  
“Who is this professor?’, Maria queries.  
  
“The professor is Professor Juniper. She’s a Pokemon researcher, and she gave me Leonard, my starter.”  
  
“Okay. You give her a call.”  
  
The Xtransceiver has Juniper preprogrammed as a contact, so I punch a button and raise the device to my mouth.  
  
“Hello. Juniper?”  
  
“Oh, Emily! So good of you to call! How are you doing?’  
  
“I’m doing great, Juniper. I just caught a new team member, a Purrloin. Named her Maria because, believe it or not, she’s Spanish.”  
  
Juniper’s pitch rises a few octaves, “What? A Pokemon with nationality? Th-that’s incredible! Oh, the things we could learn if only we could all talk to Pokemon. You really would be a great asset to the team here, Emily.”  
  
“Exactly. Thing is, I don’t want to be an asset. I want to be my own person. Also, research really isn’t my thing.”  
  
“Ah, you did always want to forge your own path in life. I knew there was a reason I gave you your Snivy.”  
  
“His name is Leonard.”  
  
“Yeah!”, Leonard adds enthusiastically, “My name is Leonard!”  
  
“She can’t understand you, Leonard.”, I remind him.  
  
“I-I knew that.”, he mumbles.  
  
I feel the weight on my left shoulder shift slightly, but it’s probably nothing. Just Maria trying to get a little more comfortable, I guess.  
  
“Anyway”, Juniper continues, “I’m assuming you’re on the way to Striaton City?”  
  
“That I am. I’m looking to take on the gym. Any pointers?”  
  
“I’m a researcher, not a strategist. You’re talking to the wrong woman.”  
  
I feel… something…in my hair. Not sure what. I grumble slightly.  
  
“Something wrong?”, Juniper questions.  
  
“Eh, it’s nothing. It’s fine.”  
  
“Anyway, I hope you remember to look out for Fennel. I’ve told her you’re coming. You’ll know her when you see her, trust me.”  
  
“Why should I trust you?”  
  
“Fennel has certain… mannerisms that set her apart from the crowd.”  
  
Suddenly, a wave of hair cascades down each side of my face, and my head pokes upwards in shock.  
  
“What the fu- Juniper, I’ll call you back, okay?”  
  
“What’s this all about?”, she queries before I snap my Xtransceiver shut.  
  
  
Reaching over my left shoulder, my hand finds and closes around a thin, furry tail, before yanking the tail and its owner forwards into view. Said owner being Maria, now hanging upside down, her tail in my clenched fist, a crooked grin spread across her face, and my hair tie in her paws.  
  
“Maria”, I snarl, “you little shit.”  
  
“Hey, hey, hey, put me down, okay?”, she rants, red in the face.  
  
“No. As petty as that was, I’m not going to tolerate this kind of shit from any of my team members. You’ve been here all of ten minutes and you think you have the guts to do something like that?”  
  
“With all due respect, senôrita, I’m a Purrloin, a Dark-type. You signed up for this.”  
  
“No sane person signs up for that kind of crap. You’ve officially lost your shoulder privileges. Back in your ball, Maria.”  
  
“Wait.”, she says, raising a paw, “You like your hair like that, si?”  
  
“Yes. Evidently, you don’t.”  
  
“Well, before you put me back in my ball, why don’t I fix it for you? It’s the least I can do.”  
  
“I see you’ve seen sense, and seeing as you managed to untie it with me barely noticing, I’m confident in your ability. You have yourself a deal, you damn Spaniard.”  
  
“Okay, just… let me go, por favor? The blood’s going to my head.”  
  
“Fine, fine.”  
  
  
I place Maria back on my shoulder, and she sets to work. I call Juniper back.  
  
“So”, she asks, disgruntled, “what was that all about?”  
  
“Maria”  
  
“That’s your Purrloin, right?”  
  
“Yep. Good to see your memory span outlasts that of a Magikarp. Anyway, she managed to untie my ponytail without me noticing.”  
  
“Good, good, excellent!”, Juniper enthuses, “Your Purrloin’s a keeper, that’s for sure.”  
  
“Are you kidding me?”, I reply, exasperated.  
  
“Not in the slightest. A Purrloin’s finest skills in and out of battle are its lightness of touch and sleight of hand. Your Purrloin has shown itself to be skilled in both.”  
  
“So, this is a good thing?”  
  
“Of course! A fast-handed Purrloin is a good Purrloin. Maria should be a valuable member of your team, at least for now.”  
  
“I’ll take your word on that. You are the so-called Pokemon Professor, after all.”  
  
“That I am. Anyway, you must be itching for me to shut up so you can get moving-“  
  
“Actually, Professor, there was something I wanted to talk to you about. It managed to slip my mind until now.”  
  
“Yeah? What is it?”  
  
“Would you mind checking up on my mom every once in a while? She called me up a little while back, said she was getting lonely.”  
  
“I don’t know, Emily. I would love to, but I’m usually quite busy around-“  
  
“I swear to Arceus, Juniper”, I growl, “I will drop this damn Pokedex straight in the nearest trash can if you don’t at least make an effort to look out for my mother.”  
  
“Oh, um, uh, wow. I’d forgotten how important your mother is to you.” At this point, I imagine her raising her hands apprehensively.  
  
“Let this be the last time you forget.” I soften my tone, “She means the world to me. Neither of us would be doing as well as we are without the other.”  
  
“Okay. I’ll see what I can do.”  
  
“Thanks, professor. This means a lot to me.”  
  
  
I snap the Xtransceiver shut once more. Maria works fast, and the ponytail she ties is almost equal in quality to one of my own creation. Finished with her job, she begrudgingly leaves my shoulder and allows me to return her to her ball. Even after the ball clicks shut, it shakes with its inhabitant’s resentment. I return it to my bandolier, and Kelly regains her spot on my shoulder. The sounds of the wild and the cool spring breeze calm my nerves as my footfalls pound a trail I have never walked before. There are no other people around. Just me, and my three Pokemon companions.  
  
Day two, and I’m already starting to find what I was looking for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, once I was done with this, I went over it to check for stuff, and, funny thing, I originally forgot to write the dialogue that was the entire reason for Emily calling Juniper I am an excellent author *sighs*. Anyway, we have an... interesting new team member, and a little bit of world building. Also, ORAS Infinity Energy stuff is canon because how am I supposed to explain all this stuff otherwise? 'Til next time.


	7. Chapter 6: Striaton

Chapter 6  
  
  
As the afternoon sun slowly sinks, Route 2 becomes an unremarkable string of walking, fending off weak wild Pokemon, and the occasional young trainer. Against my better judgement, I allow Maria out of her ball to observe Leonard and Kelly’s battles in the hope of getting her some battle experience. I even let her fight some of the particularly weak wilds. My initiative pays off, and all three are momentarily bathed in the satisfying flash of light that signals a level-up multiple times on the way to Striaton, Maria more than the others for the sake of getting on par with her teammates. One of Leonard’s level-ups rewards him with knowledge of Wrap, which quickly proves itself to be irrelevant next to Vine Whip and Tackle. Just as I start to realize how worn out I have become from a day of almost exclusively walking, I see the outskirts of Striaton City. The sun is low in the sky, and the beginnings of a sunset are tinting the edges of the old stone buildings with a faint orange glow. Compared to the outskirts of Nuvema and Accumula, Striaton seems like a solid wall of buildings. From what I’ve heard, it’s a fairly sizable city where rich people from Castelia come to spend their weekends. Thanks to recently gathered information, I am also aware that it is the home of a scientist named Fennel, and the location of a gym that is probably complete Tauros-shit if you’re trying to win your first badge, which I am. Whoop-de-fuckin’-doo. As the sunset illuminates my arrival in the city, I question why I never ran in to Cheren or Bianca on Route 2. The gaps between us couldn’t have been that big, could they?  
  
“Wow.”, Kelly muses, “I haven’t seen a town this big in my whole life!”  
  
“I’m not much better on that regard.”, I reply.  
  
“Really?”, Leonard quizzes.  
  
“I’ve lived in Nuvema pretty much my whole life. I’ve been to Accumula a few times with Mom, you know, for groceries and stuff, but apart from that…” I rack my brain, “no. Until today, I haven’t been past Accumula for as long as I can remember. We were never poor, per se, but we’ve never exactly been well-off, especially after-“ I cut myself off for the sake of Kelly’s innocence.  
  
“After what?”, she asks. Dammit.  
  
“It’s nothing. Doesn’t matter.”  
  
“Oh. Okay.”, she replies quietly.  
  
AS we continue through the city, I notice the small flight of stairs leading to the entrance of every building. With buildings elevated like this, the city looks like it could wake up one morning buried under a foot of snow and just keep on trucking.  
  
“Maria should see this.”, Leonard comments, “It’s pretty amazing.”  
  
“I don’t like her.”, Kelly grumbles, “but she at least deserves this.”  
  
I take Maria’s ball and toss it on the ground, its occupant emerging sullen from her prolonged confinement. Her gaze shifts rapidly across the street, and following her gaze quickly reveals her intentions. Rich people from the big cities returning to wherever from Sunday dinner with friends and loved ones. Rich people with watches, jewelry, wallets and all manner of other valuables.  
  
“Maria, I know what you’re thinking”, I say sternly, “and no. No, you may not.”  
  
“It’s in my blood, senôrita!”, she exclaims defensively, “I want it so bad!”  
  
“You know what?”, I reply, “I think you’ve seen enough of Striaton for now. Back in your ball.”  
  
“But-“ Maria’s plea is cut off by the whooshing sound of her Poke Ball containing her. As I return her ball to my bandolier, it shakes angrily.  
  
“Alright, guys.”, I announce, “Let’s get moving, find the Pokemon Center. I’m hungry.”  
  
  
It’s dusk by the time we reach the Pokemon Center. My legs ache from a day of walking, and my stomach aches, desperate for nourishment. As I enter through the sliding doors, I see Cheren and Bianca smiling at me, almost smugly, from the rest area.  
  
“Oh, come on!”, I groan, “Seriously? Did both of you beat me?”  
  
“It wasn’t a race.”, Cheren notes.  
  
“I know, I know.”  
  
“Wait a minute.”, Bianca ponders, “I’m, like, the slowest walker ever. What were you doing?”  
  
“Catching a Purrloin, among other things.”, I reply, reluctantly letting Maria out of her ball. Realizing the presence of other people, she quickly straightens up and starts purring softly, licking her paw.  
  
“Aww!”, Bianca squeals, “It’s so cute!”  
  
“It’s a she, Bianca.”, I correct her, “Also, you know nothing of Purrloin. They’re crafty little bastards.”  
  
“The cute act is a ruse”, Cheren adds, “designed to draw people in so the Purrloin can steal their valuables. Should I mention I caught one as well?”  
  
He takes a Poke Ball from his bandolier and tosses it on the ground, a Purrloin appearing with a whoosh. He- I figure this based on its stance and what little I hear of its voice- immediately starts glaring and hissing at Maria, who returns the sentiment with what reach my ears as Spanish curses hissed between clenched teeth.  
  
“Also”, I add, “would you believe me if I told you she’s Spanish?”  
  
“No, not at all.”, Cheren replies.  
  
“That’s preposterous!”, Bianca exclaims.  
  
“Well, it’s true. And before you say it doesn’t make any sense, being able to talk to Pokemon kind of changes your views on what makes sense and what doesn’t. Anyway, it’s been a long day, and I’m tired and hungry and don’t have enough energy to yell at someone to get me food.”  
  
Cheren and Bianca’s listless demeanor make a verbal affirmation pointless.  
  
  
“Why are we eating at the Pokemon Center?”, Bianca asks, poking an unopened plastic pasta box with her fork.  
  
“Because it’s free.”, I reply. What a stupid question.  
  
“We’re in Striaton City”, she grumbles loudly, “which is world-renowned for having good restaurants, and we eat at the Pokemon Center? Are you guys for real?”  
  
“Well, Bianca.”, Cheren answers calmly, “right now, we aren’t exactly swimming in money. Once we start beating more trainers and earning prize money, it’ll get better, but for now, we’ll be relying on the goodwill of the Pokemon League. Now eat your pasta.”  
  
Bianca sighs in resignation and makes a start on her pasta.  
  
“Hey, Cheren?”, I ask.  
  
“What?”, he replies, looking up from his food.  
  
“You know, since we’ve both got new Pokemon, maybe we should battle tomorrow? Me and my team are by no means ready for the Gym, so we need a little practice.”  
  
“I don’t know. I was planning to pay a visit to the Trainer School tomorrow to reacquaint myself with a few things, and Tepig has learned Ember, so you’ll be at a disadvantage.”  
  
“How about I battle you first?”, Bianca suggests, “I mean, I’ll probably lose, but it’ll be a learning experience for both of us?”  
  
“That sounds like the more favorable option if I don’t want things to die.”, I reply, “Let’s do it. Tomorrow morning. I’ll figure out how to beat Cheren later.”  
  
Bianca continues “You know, Emily, I did some research while we were in Accumula, and if you’re looking for new Pokemon, you might wanna try out the Dreamyard. It’s an old research facility on the east side of town that’s been converted in to a place where new trainers can battle each other in safety. It’s also a common spot for Pokemon adoption workers to set up shop.”  
  
“Thanks for the info, Bianca. I’ll check it out tomorrow, after our battle. First up, though, is finishing this food and getting sleep. Lots of it.”  
  
  
I wake up the next morning to find a shifting mass lying on top of me. Upon provocation, this turns out to be Kelly.  
  
“What are you doing?”, I ask.  
  
“Sleeping here.”, Kelly replies, yawning and stretching, “Your belly is much more comfy than the newspaper on the floor.”  
  
I feel an unexpected pang of guilt for making the relentlessly adorable Kelly sleep on a folded newspaper all night.  
  
“If you don’t like it”, she continues, “I can stop.”  
  
“No, no, it’s fine. I feel bad for making you sleep on that newspaper. As long as you don’t wake me up or anything, you can sleep on me.”  
  
“Really? Thanks so much!”  
  
“But only because you’re really cute, you hear? And don’t tell anyone I said that.”  
  
“Okay.”  
  
“Now get off me. I’m trying to get out of bed.”  
  
“Fine.”  
  
She scampers off the bed. One morning routine later, my Pokemon and I are gathered in the foyer of the Pokemon Center, waiting for Bianca.  
  
“So.”, Leonard asks, “how exactly are we going to beat Bianca?”  
  
“Well”, I reply, “you’re obviously dealing with Oshawott.”  
  
“I guess so.”  
  
“Relax, Leonard! It’ll be easy. Anyway, she’s also got a Lillipup, but I’m willing to bet it’s not as strong as you, Kelly, so I think you can handle it.”  
  
“You’re so nice to me, Emily.”, Kelly chuckles.  
  
“And as for Maria… you hang back. You’re not that useful right now.”  
  
She hisses at me.  
  
“Um, no offense. But it’s true.”  
  
At this point, the most intelligent thing to do would be to return Maria to her ball. So I do. We spend the next half-hour or so twiddling our thumbs - well, I spend it twiddling my thumbs, as Leonard and Kelly lack thumbs to twiddle - while we wait for Bianca to wake up. As the eighty-seventh bottle of beer is taken down and passed around, as they say, Bianca comes bounding down the stairs.  
  
“Wait, who are you again?”, I joke, “I swear I recognize you from somewhere.”  
  
“Well, aren’t you a barrel of laughs?”, Bianca replies, “I needed that sleep, okay? Anyway, I’m nothing compared to you on Saturday, or so Cheren tells me.”  
  
“That wasn’t too bad.”, I protest, “Cheren’s just weird.”  
  
“If he’s so weird, then why are you two friends?”  
  
“Believe me, I’ve asked myself the same question, and this isn’t the first time I’ve heard you say it either. Now, on to business. Our battle.”  
  
“Do you mind if we get some breakfast first?”  
  
“Not at all, honestly. I’m not sure what I was doing not feeding myself for the past half-hour, so let’s eat!”  
  
“Not at the Pokemon Center?”, Bianca asks sternly.  
  
“Wouldn’t dream of it.”, I reply.  
  
  
After breakfast, we find a small paved area in a park for our battle. Bianca’s head is firmly lodged in the clouds. She gazes around at trees and flowers while sipping from a large coffee cup. If she’s as ditzy about battling as she is about everything else, I might end up feeling bad about this.  
  
“Um, Bianca?”, I grumble, “Our battle?”  
  
“Oh, sorry!”, she replies quickly, “It’s just so beautiful around here!”  
  
“It’s a park, Bianca.”  
  
“Emily, can you just appreciate beauty for once in your life?”  
  
“No. Can we just battle now?”  
  
“Fiiiiiiine.”  
  
We send out our respective Lillipup, an action which draws the attention of a small crowd. A few whispers and casual bets are exchanged as Bianca and I each nod, a silent confirmation of the battle.  
  
I spring in to action “Okay, Kelly, let’s do this. Use Bite!”  
  
“Lillipup! Use, uh, Tackle! Yeah!”, Bianca replies, clearly still a little unsure of herself.  
  
Both Lillpup are fast, but Kelly is faster, and the two Pokemon collide closer to me than to Bianca. Kelly sidesteps the Lillipup’s Tackle and sinks her teeth into its flank. Bianca’s Lillipup, releasing a pained yelp, throws itself in an arc, slamming into Kelly. Both parties retreat to their respective trainers, and I immediately issue Kelly an order.  
  
“Alright, finish it with a Tackle!”, I command.  
  
“Use Tackle again, I guess?”, Bianca says quietly, her Lillipup slowly nodding in agreement. Two seconds later, this slowness is its downfall, as it barely has time to get moving before Kelly slams into it with a satisfying thump. As Kelly backs away, its eyes slowly close and its breathing becomes shallow. Bianca returns it to its ball silently, while Kelly rushes to my side.  
  
“Awesome job, girl.”, I enthuse, “Now it’s Leonard’s turn.”  
  
Bianca, hands trembling slightly, sends out her Oshawott. Leonard hops off my shoulder.  
  
“Alright, Leonard. This should be easy. Hit it with a Vine Whip.”, I whisper the next part “But not too hard, kay? Don’t wanna dent Bianca’s confidence more than we already have.”  
  
Bianca stammers out a command, “Uh, Water Gun won’t work, so, uh, use Tail Whip, I -  I guess.”  
  
Leonard lashes out with a vine, but the mark it leaves is minimal. In retaliation, Oshawott waves its tail at him, simultaneously sticking its tongue out in defiance. Leonard is taken aback, and a brief light pulse confirms the defense drop.  
  
“Vine Whip again!”, I command, “Finish it off!”  
  
Leonard draws back a vine, and his second swing lashes across Oshawott, knocking the wind clean out of it, and toppling it. Bianca hastily returns the Water-type to its ball.  
  
“Wow.”, she mumbles, “Not even one badge and you defeat me without breaking a sweat.” Suddenly, as if in recognition of the eyes silently criticizing her loss, she straightens up “But I’m not letting that slide! I’m going to train super-hard and get stronger with my Pokemon, and one day, we’ll have a real battle, not… whatever that was.”  
  
“Alright, then.”, I retort, “But don’t expect me to ever go easy on you.”  
  
As the crowd dissipates, Bianca sighs, looking downtrodden.  
  
“Wow. You really are strong.”  
  
“Oh, trust me, it’s not me, it’s these guys. They do all the hard work. I just tell them what to do.”  
  
“Huh. Maybe you’re right. Anyway, weren’t you planning to check out the Dreamyard or something?”  
  
“Yeah, I was. It’s on the east side of town, right?”  
  
“I.. think so?”  
  
“I’ll ask around. Shouldn’t be that hard to find.”  
  
“Okay. See you!”  
  
“Bye!”  
  
With that, we head our separate ways.  
  
  
“You know, Bianca.”, I mutter under my breath, “there’s old, and then there’s abandoned. Forgotten. In fucking ruins. There’s a difference.”  
  
Indeed, Bianca’s description of the Dreamyard as an “old research facility” seems kind of tame. I mean, sure, there are some packed-dirt areas outside the ruins where people can battle, but the actual facility is just as I said: in ruins. Of course, anything that could actually be dangerous to all those little kids with their junior trainer licenses is cordoned off and guarded by health-and-safety types in hi-vis jackets. I approach one of said people in search of answers.  
  
“Oh, hello.”, greets the safety person I approach, a man, “Welcome to the Dreamyard.”  
  
“What is this place?”, I quiz.  
  
“Well, it used to be a research facility. I don’t know much, only that they did experiments using Pokemon. One day, something - Arceus knows what - went wrong, and the place got trashed. We, the good people of Striaton City, don’t like to talk about it. It’s an annoying wrinkle on our city’s history. Anyway, a little while later, someone figured that Striaton needed somewhere for inexperienced trainers to battle, bought up the lab, made the front yard kid-friendly, and cordoned off the ruins. The Dreamyard was born.”  
  
“That’s… kind of messed up.”, I reply tentatively.  
  
“Maybe it is.”, the man ponders, “I just guard the place. I tend not to think about it that often.”  
  
Turning away from the man, I am immediately approached by a young girl with two Purrloin.  
  
“Hey, lady?”, she asks, “Wanna battle? Your Snivy is cool. Where’d you get it?”  
  
“Well, I got it from Professor Juniper. He’s my starter. And sure, I’d like to battle.”  
  
I feel Maria’s Poke Ball shake impatiently. Grumbling, I send her out. She gives the girl’s first Purrloin a vitriolic glance.  
  
“Maria, you okay to take this one?”, I ask, trying to keep my tone calm.  
  
“You bet your ass. I’ll show you what I can really do.”  
  
“Alright, then. Use Scratch!”  
  
“Didn’t even have to ask.”, she replies, smirking.  
  
“Alright, Purrloin!”, the girl says, “Use your Scratch attack!”  
  
Maria growls loudly and rushes at the girl’s Purrloin, then starts scratching away violently. It manages to get a couple of swipes in on Maria, but the violent clawing of its face and sides gets to it quickly, and it faints from the pain.  
  
“Your Purrloin is much less nice than my Purrloin!”, she pouts.  
  
“Well, that’s not my fault now, is it?”, I retort, “Although, how about we let Leonard handle her second Purrloin, eh, Maria?”  
  
“Alright.”, she replies, before muttering under her breath, “pendejo.”  
  
“I heard that!”, I scold.  
  
“Wait.”, the girls asks, a perplexed look on her face, “Your Pokemon have names, and you can talk with them?”  
  
“Yeah, I get that a lot. Don’t ask.”  
  
“But I wanna?”  
  
“You’re too young to get it. Anyway, Leonard! Take out her second Purrloin.”  
  
“Okay.”, he replies, clambering off my shoulder and down to the ground.  
  
“Hit it with a Vine Whip!”, I order.  
  
“Purrloin! Hit it with Scratch!”  
  
Leonard stands his ground as the Purrloin approaches him, waiting for it to strike. At the last second, he fakes left, sending the Dark-type lunging in that direction, giving him the time he needs to rotate and lash out with both vines, the impact pushing its thin fur aside and leaving two red stripes. The Purrloin screams in pain, takes one look at its scratched-up teammate, and promptly collapses. Head bowed, the girl wordlessly hands me a banknote, grabs her Pokemon, and rushes off towards the city.  
  
  
As I stuff the note in my pocket, I notice that my victory against a small child has made me some kind of local celebrity. First comes a bearded man bearing a green and black Poke Ball as a gift.  
  
“Wow!”, the man enthuses, “You’re quite the trainer! You can definitely make better use of this than me!”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“Why, it’s a Dusk Ball! It’s a super-special Poke Ball that works really well in darkness. Don’t ask me how, it just does. Anyway, if you’re gonna be catching Pokemon in caves or at night, this is a good thing to have.”  
  
“Uh, gee, thanks, mister…”  
  
“Samuel. Just call me Samuel.”, he says, grabbing my hands and giving an overenthusiastic two-handed handshake, “Pleasure doing business with you, um…”  
  
“Emily. Not sure how this counts as business, considering you just gave me something for free, but thanks anyway.”  
  
“No problem.”  
  
He walks off, and I put the Dusk Ball in my bag, now significantly lighter due to most of its contents being in my room at the Pokemon Center.  
  
“What a nice guy.”, Kelly notes.  
  
“Free stuff is always appreciated.”, I comment.  
  
My dealings with Samuel over, a boy, not much older than the girl whose team - if you could call it that - I just thrashed, rushes up to me.  
  
“Wow!”, he squeals, “Your Pokemon are super-strong! You look like a great trainer! I’m Joey!”  
  
“Well, I’m Emily, I guess.”, I respond, not entirely sure how to react to a small child heaping praise on me.  
  
“You guess?”, he quips, “Does that mean you don’t really know what your name is?”  
  
This elicits a chuckle “Well, then, let me rephrase that. My name is Emily. Now, you wanna battle or what?”  
  
“Of course not!”, Joey exclaims, “You’re way too strong for me, and your Pokemon listen to you way better than mine do. It’s almost like you were talking to them, and they could understand you!”  
  
“Which is exactly what’s happening. And no, before you ask, don’t ask.”  
  
“That’s so cool, though! Can you teach me?”  
  
“No. It doesn’t work like that, now buzz off, kid.”, I hiss.  
  
“Aww, but you’re so cool!”, he pouts.  
  
“You heard me.”, I affirm, giving this Joey kid a light shove, ‘Go away.”  
  
He skulks off, grumbling unintelligibly.  
  
“That was harsh.”, Leonard notes.  
  
“I am a lot better with Pokemon than I am with people.”, I reply, “and that’s taken me all of three days to figure out.”  
  
“You’re not good with Maria.”, Kelly comments, “Also, if you can talk to us, and figure out our personalities, we can’t be much different from people in that regard, can we?”  
  
“Kelly is right.”, Leonard adds, “Maybe you’re just good with us.”  
  
“Those two, anyway.”, Maria grumbles.  
  
“Maybe that is the case.”, I say, “I guess I’m just good with some kinds of people - not many kinds, keep that in mind - and bad with some kinds of Pokemon.”  
  
“I take it you’re not good with kids?”, Maria asks.  
  
“Yeah. They can be really naive sometimes, and they ask too many questions. End of story.”  
  
  
Having dealt with Joey, I go on the hunt for the real reason I’m here: Pokemon adoption. I approach a young woman wearing an adoption company T-shirt and surrounded by cardboard boxes from which the cries of Pokemon emerge.  
  
“Um, hi.”, I say, trying to save face after my probably less-than-fair treatment of Joey, “I’d like to adopt a Pokemon.”  
  
“Oh, of course, of course!”, she replies enthusiastically, “We have a ton of Pokemon looking for a better home! What are you looking for?”  
  
“Well, something that can deal with Fire-types, I guess. I mean, my friend has a Tepig, and I think the gym leader here will be using Fire-types, and my current team might have some problems.”  
  
“Oh, sure, I’ve got something for that.”, she says, pulling a blue primate Pokemon from one of the boxes.  
  
“This is a Panpour.”, the woman explains, “He doesn’t like being called Panpour, though. I think someone might have given him a name before we found him.”  
  
“Well, you’re not gonna believe this, but I can talk to Pokemon, so how about we ask him?”  
  
The woman reluctantly passes me the Panpour.  
  
“Hey, little guy?”, I ask, “What’s your name?”  
  
“My name’s Ryan.”, he replies, childlike - although less so than Kelly - in his tone.  
  
“Now, who gave you that name?”  
  
“A guy in Castelia. I used to be a stray there, but sometimes he would take me to this cafe place and feed me, and he could talk to Pokemon, like you! He had a Blaziken, and an Aggron, which is weird, since neither of those are from Unova, and he told me that if adoption people ever found me, to not tell them his name.”  
  
“Sounds like a pretty interesting guy.”, I comment.  
  
“You seem kind of cool yourself.”, Ryan replies.  
  
“Well”, the adoption worker says, “he certainly seems to have taken a shine to you. Just sign this waiver”, she asks, holding out a clipboard, “and he’s yours.”  
  
I quickly skim-read the End User License Agreement for my new monkey and scribble my signature (which is really just my name written as bunch of zigzags) at the bottom. I hand back the clipboard.  
  
“Alright, he’s yours. If you want to train him, just stick him in a Poke Ball.”  
  
I grab a ball off my bandolier and tap it against Ryan’s forehead. He practically hops in, and as soon as the ball clicks shut, I send him out.  
  
“Alright, Ryan, let’s get back to Striaton. We have work to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I originally planned to do the Cheren battle this update, but I felt the chapter was getting long at Ryan. Speaking of which, Ryan! Emily's fourth teammate, and her last for a couple of chapters. He's certainly got a past, which may or may not be explored at a later date. Funfact: Samuel was not a randomly chosen name. For whatever reason, as I wrote Dusk Ball Man's lines, I read them in the voice of Stuhlinger from CoD Black Ops 2 Zombies (if you can't tell, I'm a Zombies fan), so Samuel it was. With that useless tidbit out of the way, 'til next time.


	8. Chapter 7: Get Schooled

Chapter 7  
  
  
Unlike my other Pokemon, marveling at the sights and sounds of Striaton City isn’t really Ryan’s thing. What with coming from the largest city in the region and all, this place probably feels like a ghost town to him, especially considering that it’s midday on a Monday and the weekend horde has grudgingly shambled home. Even with the locals filling lunchtime seats at streetside cafes, the city feels considerably emptier than it was earlier. The team reside in their Poke Balls, with the exception of Ryan, who bombards me with questions, simple ones like “what’s your full name” and “how old are you?”, which I duly answer. Considering Ryan’s initial words to me, I figure it would be prudent not to ask too many questions of my own. The Pokemon Center is fairly busy at this time of day, with trainers sat around the place, eating lunch, chatting, and generally taking a short break from doing whatever it is trainers do around here. Nurse Joy duly notes the expansion of my team, and with everyone scienced back to good condition, we get lunch. As one would expect, Pokemon Centers also provide food for Pokemon, which the man behind the counter assures me is “the real stuff”, not the “generic crap you get out in the boonies.” Once food has been chosen and a table found, I finally find the time to take a good look at Ryan, and, for the first time, I notice his frailty. His hands are bony, and he seems to sag around the abdomen. He’s skin and bones, and the small bowl of specialized Water-type feed I got for him suddenly seems wholly inadequate.  
  
“You’re looking at me funny.”, Ryan says, “Is something wrong?”  
  
I ponder for a second how best to phrase my answer, then settle on, “I don’t know. You haven’t been fed much lately, have you?”  
  
“Well, I only got scraps in Castelia, and the adoption people didn’t give me too much food either, I guess. Why do you ask?”  
  
“You just look kind of underfed, that’s all. I have to make sure you guys are doing okay, because you’re all I’ve got right now. You need any extra food or anything?”  
  
“No, no, I’m alright.”  
  
“That wasn’t a question.”, I say, sliding my bowl of noodles to him, “Eat. You need some meat on those bones.”  
  
“Won’t you get hungry?”, he asks.  
  
“I’ll live. You need this a lot more than I do. I’ll get you some water, too. I’d wager you’re not doing so well on that front, and a dehydrated Water-type isn’t what you’d call useful.”  
  
I leave, filling a bowl with water from a drinking fountain and finding a considerably more energetic Ryan slurping down noodles when I return. I give him the water, and he starts slurping it down rapidly, the fountain-thing on his head immediately perking up, which I presume is a good thing. He certainly looks much healthier now, and definitely ready for battle.  
  
“Are you sure you’ll be fine without lunch?”, Ryan asks, concerned.  
  
“Trust me, I’ll be alright. I can last until dinner. You need that food a lot more than I do, pal.”  
  
“The food is free, right? Can’t you just get some more?”  
  
“Nah, that just wouldn’t feel right. Anyway, I’m not that hungry. I had a late breakfast.”  
  
“Well, okay, if you say so.”  
  
The Pokemon finish lunch quickly, and we get moving. As it turns out, the Trainer School is only about a quarter-mile from the Center, presumably so that some little kid whose Patrat gets a boo-boo won’t have far to walk. Kids these days. Wait, do I have any right to say that? I’m only sixteen, and I haven’t yet had the opportunity to get shot at in ‘Nam and become a grumpy old man, so I don’t think I do. Still, kids these days.  
  
  
Trainer school is a lot closer to regular school than I imagined. I guess part of its purpose is to provide some semblance of education to kids who rush off on  their journeys on their fourteenth birthday who understand the possibility that the whole Trainer thing could fall through. It must suck to go off on your journey just to go back to school. I mean, I’m sure they teach Pokemon-related stuff here alongside actual subjects, but from the outside, well, it’s got classrooms, and hallways, and lockers, and it’s generally indistinguishable from every other school in the region. When Cheren told me he was going to be here, he could have been more specific as to where, because this place, while not huge, is pretty big, and I have no idea where anything is. Before I can summon up the niceness to ask anyone where anything is, a girl who is about a year younger than me and clearly way too outgoing approaches me.  
  
“Hi! You’re a new face!”, she chirps, “I’m Stacey!”  
  
“Emily.”, I reply, unsure as to how to react, “Nice to meet you, I guess?”  
  
“Yeah! You new around here?”  
  
“No, I’m just looking for a friend of mine. He said he’d meet me here. Of course, ‘here’ is a big place, and he wasn’t any more specific than that.”  
  
“What does your friend look like, exactly?’  
  
“His name’s Cheren. About the same age as me, slightly leaner build, black hair, blue eyes, glasses, has a Tepig and a Purrloin, last I checked.”  
  
“I dunno. Haven’t really seen anyone like that around.”  
  
“Well, he said he was coming here to read up on some stuff. That help?”  
  
“Yeah! It really helps! You might want to have a look around the library. Just go down the hall, and take the first left. It’ll be on your right after a little while; you really can’t miss it.”  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
Damn. Trainer school even has the same kinds of people as regular school. Not saying that’s a good thing, of course. Following Stacey’s instructions, I find the library, which is exactly as difficult to miss as she made it out to be. Double glass doors lead into a high-ceilinged room filled not just with bookshelves, but with armchairs, couches, beanbags, posters, and all the other stuff schools have to put in libraries these days to keep the average teenager off his or her phone. Lacking a better way of finding Cheren, I pick a direction and start walking. After a few minutes, I find him sitting in an armchair, thumbing through a thick Pokemon book, which, judging by the numerous folded pages, taped-up tears and scribbled notes, has been read by about a million people. He is so engrossed in the book that I can stand behind him and figure this out without him noticing. I prod him in the back of the neck.  
  
“Hi, Emily.”, he mutters, not looking up from his book.  
  
“No!”, I reply in a deep, faux-masculine voice, “Who’s Emily? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”  
  
“Well, aren’t you funny?”, he remarks, turning his head to face me.  
  
“Seriously, though, how did you know it was me?”  
  
“You’re not as stealthy as you think you are, Emily. I could hear your footsteps, I just chose not to react. This book   
  
“Those could have been anyone’s footsteps.”  
  
“There aren’t a lot of people who would sneak up behind me smelling of a. leather, and b. someone who hasn’t had a proper wash in days, are there? I made an educated guess.”  
  
“I do not smell bad! I am a girl, as hard as I try not to act like it, and it is my duty as a member of the fairer sex not to smell like I just crawled out of a swamp. I’ll let Kelly vouch for me. She likes me.”  
  
I send her out, and upon taking a sniff of my leg, she recoils in horror.  
  
“Ew!”, she exclaims, “You smell like a dead thing! At least, what I think a dead thing would smell like.”  
  
“Seriously?”, I reply, shocked.  
  
“Could you keep it down over there?”, the librarian shouts, “It’s a library, for crying out loud! It shocks me how many kids these days don’t get that.”  
  
“You know”, Cheren comments, “getting a Lillipup to test whether or not you smell bad was a terrible idea. Kelly’s sense of smell is an order of magnitude or so more acute than yours.”  
  
“Well, I didn’t know that!”  
  
“Really? Everyone knows that.”  
  
“No. You know that, because you know everything there is to know about Pokemon.”  
  
“Huh. I could have sworn I told everyone in our fifth grade class that at some point.”  
  
“Nobody listened to you in fifth grade.”  
  
“Nobody except you.”  
  
“Which is why we’re friends. Anyway, would it be too much to ask for you to get your nose out of that book for long enough to battle me, like you said you would?”  
  
“It would certainly not be too much to ask.”, he says, standing up, replacing the book on a nearby shelf, and checking his watch, “They have a battle ground behind the school. It should be free right now, because everyone’s in class.”  
  
“Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go.”  
  
“After you take a shower.”, he orders, prodding my stomach.  
  
“Fine.”, I grumble, returning Kelly to her ball to save her from my apparent stench.  
  
  
Freshly showered and actually feeling much better for it, I meet up with Cheren. Leonard and Kelly reside on my shoulders, as usual. Maria is in her ball because she’s annoying, and Ryan’s in his because I don’t want to show my hand to my opponent. True to Cheren’s assumptions, the battleground is free for us to use. The janitor gives us a stern warning not to tear the place up, to which I point at Leonard. The janitor chuckles from the improbability of his statement, and tells us to have fun. We take our places at opposite ends of the battleground and make eye contact, the generally agreed-on way of starting a battle outside a League facility, or so Cheren tells me.  
  
“Alright, let’s do this.”, he says, “Tepig, go!”  
  
“Sending out your ace early, huh?”, I remark, “Well, I’ve got just the thing. Ryan!”  
  
I release him from his ball, and he smiles when he sees his opponent.  
  
“Oh, come on!”, Cheren complains, “A Water-type? Really? Where’d you get that?”  
  
“Dreamyard. I adopted him. Now, Ryan, use Water Gun!”  
  
“Okay, Tepig! Tackle!”  
  
Tepig brazenly starts charging towards Ryan. Ryan tenses up and looks skyward before releasing an arcing stream of water from his mouth. Tepig tries to avoid the attack, but the loose gravel combined with its stubby legs make its attempts at evasion futile, and the swine (just a technical term, no offense intended) gets a soaking. Coughing up water, skin drained of color in places where the water hit, and struggling to stand on the wet gravel, Tepig looks awfully close to being out for the count.  
  
“Tepig.”, Cheren stage-whispers, “The thing. Do the thing!”  
  
I don’t know what “the thing” is, but Tepig does. With a glint in its eye, it removes a berry from its cheek with its tongue, chews quickly, then swallows. The effect is almost instantaneous; Tepig regains its footing (Hoofing? Trottering? Whatever), its skin regains color in places, and it tackles an unsuspecting Ryan, sending him skidding backwards in the gravel.  
  
“Ow”, Ryan says, “That Water Gun should have done more than it did.”  
  
“What’s with the berry?”, I ask.  
  
“Battle first, ask questions later”, Cheren replies, “Now, Tepig, Tackle.”  
  
“Ryan, Water Gun! Finish it off!”  
  
“Okay. Let’s try something a little different.”, he comments, filling his cheeks with water.  
  
Tepig, not seeming to have realized that it doesn’t stand a chance, readies for another charge, but barely has a chance to get moving before Ryan blasts it with a point-blank jet of water. Tepig’s last few drops of energy go in to blowing some of the water out through its nose before it collapses. Cheren returns it to its ball, but places the ball on the ground.  
  
“Great work, Ryan.”, I say, patting him on the head, “You made that look easy.”  
  
“It was kind of easy.”, he replies.  
  
“It’s my fault for not catching more Pokemon.”, Cheren comments, “I should have figured you’d find some way of dealing with Tepig. Anyway, let’s get back to the battle. Purrloin!”  
  
Cheren’s Purrloin appears in a flash of light, and I send out Maria in response.  
  
“Whaddya want, senôrita?”, she remarks.  
  
“Use Scratch on Cheren’s Purrloin. In case you’re confused, that’s the only other Purrloin around. Can’t miss it.”  
  
“I am many things, Emily, but I am not estupido.”  
  
“Just do it, okay?”  
  
“Now that you two are done with whatever that was”, Cheren comments, “Purrloin, use Assist!”  
  
As Maria starts slinking to the left for a better angle of attack, Cheren’s Purrloin runs a paw over Tepig’s Poke Ball. When lifted, the paw starts sparking with white energy, which manifests into a small flame. As it prepares to fire off the flame, Maria dashes past, scratching it across the chest. Purrloin yelps, launching its attack in her general direction and managing to singe her tail.  
  
“That was a dirty trick, pendejo!”, Maria exclaims, “Another Scratch, Emily?”  
  
“Do it.”  
  
“Purrloin, Assist!”  
  
Purrloin places its paw on Tepig’s Poke Ball again, this time for longer, long enough for Maria to hit it with another Scratch. Oddly enough, it isn’t fazed, instead releasing its paw and letting the energy from the ball surge through its body. As the energy crackles in its eyes, it launches itself at Maria, slamming into her side. I hear the unmistakable sound of splintering bone. Maria, pained and short of breath, slashes at Purrloin’s face. Drained after its powerful tackle, the pain from Maria’s scratches finally gets to it, and it faints. I hastily return Maria to her ball, grumbling under my breath about Cheren’s cheating Purrloin.  
  
‘“That was quite the battle.”, Cheren says.  
  
“What was all that shit you did?”, I ask, “You know, with the berry, and the Poke Ball touching, and the crazy energy shit that probably broke Maria’s ribs?”  
  
“We’ll walk and talk.”  
  
  
So we do. As we head back to the Pokemon Center to heal our teams, Cheren explains all.  
  
“What was the deal with the berry?”, I ask, “I mean, Tepig was right on the brink there, then he ate it and he just got better.”  
  
“That was an Oran Berry, one of many berries of a similar genetic makeup that can have positive effects if a Pokemon consumes them. The Oran Berry, for instance, acts as a weak restorative. Other berries can cure status ailments, restore more health, or even raise attributes. Pokemon can be fed these berries, or trained to hold one, and eat it in a pinch.”  
  
“What happens if a person eats one?”  
  
“Effects can range from nothing at all to rapid unconsciousness.”  
  
“So… just give ‘em to the Pokemon?””  
  
“Indeed. I’ve got a few more Oran berries in my pack. I’ll give them to you at the Center.”  
  
“Cool. Next, the thing Purrloin did with Tepig’s Poke Ball? I’m no expert, but Maria never tried to learn Ember or Tackle at any point.”  
  
“Well, that’s because Purrloin only learned those moves temporarily. Assist is a move that allows a Pokemon to temporarily access the energies of one of its allies, allowing for a single-shot use of one of said ally’s moves. It’s gimmicky, but it can cause some interesting outcomes.”  
  
“I see. One more thing, that Tackle that Purrloin used seemed a lot stronger than it should have been. What’s the deal with that?”  
  
“Well, based on what I saw there, cross-referenced with what I’ve seen on TV, that looked like a critical attack.”  
  
“Critical hits? I thought that was video game stuff?”  
  
“Where do you think they got the idea from?”  
  
“Good point.”  
  
“Anyway, any attack has a small chance to go critical. You can use certain moves or items to skew the odds in your favor, but the actual occurrence is up to luck. Basically, what happens is a massive surge of energy that powers up the attack that the Pokemon is using, and allows it to seek out weak spots more easily. A successful critical attack can turn the tide of a battle, but only if you’re lucky. The energy in Pokemon is highly unstable, which is why critical attacks occur seemingly at random.”  
  
“What would I do without you, Cheren?”  
  
“Let’s hope we never find out.”  
  
“So, anyway, on to the Gym now?”  
  
“No. Not yet.”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“You might have beaten me, but Chilli’s a lot stronger, even with his first-badge team. He’ll rip your team to shreds if you challenge him in your current state.”  
  
“Thanks for the confidence boost.”  
  
“All I’m saying is that you need to get some training done. There are wild Pokemon just outside the city, back on Route 2.”  
  
“I know. How much training should I be looking to do?”  
  
“What remains of today should be enough. It should be easy to get a battle with Chilli tomorrow morning.”  
  
“Are you going to get some training done? Catch some more Pokemon?”  
  
“Yes and maybe. I get second chances if I mess up.”  
  
“Don’t remind me.”  
  
“Sorry. So, anyway, I can take more risks.”  
  
“Sounds logical.”  
  
“I am a logical person. We’ve been talking too long. We have Pokemon that need healing.”  
  
“Yeah. I’m kind of worried about Maria.”  
  
“Who are you and what have you done with Emily?”, Leonard comments, having stayed silent on my shoulder for the entire conversation.  
  
“She might have fractured a rib or something”, I reply, “and I need all of you in peak condition for the gym battle tomorrow.”  
  
“Even me?”, he asks, “It sounds like the Gym Leader uses Fire-types.”  
  
“Everyone is an all-encompassing term, Leonard. So, yes, even you. I might need you for something.”  
  
“Okay.”  
  
I can’t find anything more of value to say, so I stay silent and take in the slightly strange feeling of walking through the halls of a school when they’re empty. I may not be much of a people person, but in this particular situation, the lack of people, of conversation, of energy, is almost alien. Noise is still present, the muffled musings of students coming from behind classroom doors. I guess the real strangeness of all this is that I am not a student. I don’t belong here. There are people like me that do belong here, but I don’t. With nothing worth talking about, my mind wanders further. I am a tomboy. I have two best friends who are polar opposites, and not that similar to me either. I’ve left home and gathered a ragtag bunch of misfit Pokemon who know full well that if I fuck up, they’re dead. I am trying my very best not to belong anywhere.  
  
  
I allow that thought to stew all the way back to the Pokemon Center, but fail to make much more of it. Cheren hands his Pokemon to the nurse for healing, before fishing through his bag.  
  
“Here we go.”, he announces, producing a plastic bag, knotted shut and containing three plump purple berries, “Oran Berries. They’re yours.”  
  
“Thanks.”, I reply, “I’ll think about giving them a shot.”  
  
“You’re welcome.”  
  
He returns to the nurse to collect his Pokemon, and I step up to the counter. I hand over Leonard, Kelly and Ryan’s Poke Balls, then present a pained Maria to Nurse Joy.  
  
“I was having a battle”, I explain, “and she got hit by a critical attack. It wasn’t too bad, but I do think she fractured a rib or something. Is that something worth worrying about?”  
  
“Do you mind if we have a look at her for a minute?”, she asks.  
  
“Not at all.”, I reply, handing Maria to the nurse. Before taking her away, she returns the rest of my team to me. I let them out on the counter.  
  
“I hope Maria’s okay.”, Kelly says.  
  
“She’ll be alright.”, Ryan comments, “She’s not dead, and that’s pretty much the only thing they can’t fix these days.”  
  
“Ryan’s right.”, I add, “It might have looked bad, but it’s nothing modern medicine can’t handle.”  
  
Nurse Joy emerges soon after.  
  
“As you suspected, she has a fractured rib.”, Joy says, “You were right to be concerned. The healing machine can fix injuries like this to an extent, but with such a small Pokemon, there could be complications. We’ll have to resort to more traditional methods.”  
  
“She won’t be out for weeks, will she?”  
  
“No, no, no, nothing like that! Healer Pokemon can fix the fracture in a matter of hours. She’s registered to you, so we can record this in the system easily. She should be ready for pickup around seven.”  
  
“But I have to train her this afternoon! I’m challenging the Gym tomorrow!”  
  
“Purrloin are creatures of the night. If anything, it’ll be easier to train her after dark, and you don’t like like the sort who minds staying up a little later than usual.”, she remarks.  
  
I chuckle, thank her, grab my team, and leave.  
  
  
“Alright.”, I say loudly, “welcome to training, boys and girls. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to spend the rest of the afternoon finding the best way to beat the snot out of wild Pokemon, in the hope that it’ll help you when it comes time to take on the Gym. Am I making myself clear?”  
  
“Yes, Emily.”, Kelly replies.  
  
“Okay.”, Leonard adds quietly.  
  
“I got it.”, Ryan finishes.  
  
“Good.”, I affirm, “Now let’s get to it.”  
  
So we do. The place I’ve chosen for training, a field of tall grass surrounded by bushes that look like prime places to find wild Pokemon, isn’t far from city limits, and my sizable stock of potions means minor injuries are no issue. Leonard and Kelly develop similar yet distinct fighting styles. They’re both cautious, and afraid to take hits, but they achieve this in different ways. Leonard is quick on his feet, and uses his vines as disruptive tools, allowing him to keep his distance. Kelly prefers hit-and-run tactics, relying on the element of surprise combined with short bursts of surprising speed to get in close, attacking quickly, then retreating. Ryan’s technique is… less nuanced, consisting of standing in one spot, blasting away with Water Gun, and running away if anything gets too close. I’m no tactician, but the whole thing seems rather simple-minded. It works, though, at least for now. His Water Gun is powerful enough to stop most foes in their tracks, and he’s fast enough that running away allows him to avoid the full force of most attacks, and avoid some entirely. We settle into a groove, and before we know it, it’s time to head back to town for dinner, and to pick up Maria. As we walk through the streets, Leonard, Kelly and Ryan burst with energy, despite being exhausted from the training.  
  
“So”, I ask, “how’s everyone feeling?”  
  
“I’m pooped.”, Leonard yawns.  
  
“I think I’m stronger now!”, Kelly enthuses.  
  
“Stronger?”, Ryan questions jokingly, “Are you kidding? I could take on the world!”  
  
“Well, the training’s clearly done its job then.”, I reply, “Now, you guys must be hungry, no?”  
  
“Yeah.”, Kelly replies.  
  
“I could use some food.”, Leonard adds.  
  
“Food? I want food!”, Ryan exclaims.  
  
“Well, it looks like we’re all in agreement here.”, I say, “Let’s go.”  
  
  
After a day of training for the team, and making sure nobody fell in any holes or got pricked by thorns for me, dinner goes down quickly. As the clock hits seven, Nurse Joy calls my name.  
  
“How’s Maria doing?”, I ask.  
  
“Your Purrloin? She’s doing great?”, Joy replies, “I’ll get her for you.”  
  
She retrieves Maria, who is looking much better, no longer having a busted-up chest or a look of pain on her face. Joy also hands me her Poke Ball.  
  
“Thanks, Joy.”, I say, “Appreciate it.”  
  
“Just doing my job, miss.”  
  
I grab Maria in one hand and her ball in the other, then return to my team.  
  
“Maria!”, Kelly exclaims, “You’re okay!”  
  
“Si, the doctors and their Pokemon, they fixed me right up. Alomomola, big Water-type, healed my rib nice and good.”  
  
“Well, it’s good to see you’re okay.”, I say, “The rest of us got some training done while you were getting fixed up.”  
  
“Training?”, she hisses, “Again, you forget me!”  
  
“No, no, no, calm down. We’re going to do some training right now, just you and me. Nurse Joy told me it would be better if you trained at night.”  
  
“She’s not wrong, amigo. Let’s do this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, I originally planned to write the Chilli battle in this chapter, but then EXPOSITION. And OTHER STUFF. It'll be in the next chapter, I promise. Anyway, the Cheren battle is out of the way, some world building has been done, and I've broken my chapter length record, with this being over 4,000 words! 'Til next time.


	9. Chapter 8: Incendiary (vs. Chilli)

Chapter 8  
  
  
Maria’s eyes are two pinpricks of flaming yellow in the dim light. She insists that I keep my flashlight off so as not to ruin her night vision, so, until my eyes adjust, all I have to work with is the dim ambient glow of a clear night. The pinpricks approach me, nudging my foot.  
  
“Perfecto.”, Maria announces.  
  
“Alright.”, i reply, “This had better be worth it, though.”  
  
“You will not be disappointed, Emily.”, she assures me as she disappears into the grass. I follow her movement as she dashes into a bush. The bush shakes, and the sounds of scratching claws and whimpering emerge from within, followed by Maria, who rushes up to me, grabs some dirt, and throws it on my pants, laughing.  
  
“I just learned how to do that!”, she enthuses.  
  
“What, get dirt on my clothes?”  
  
“I think it’s some kind of move.”  
  
I pull out my Pokedex for a quick scan.  
  
“Sand-Attack.”, the ‘dex chimes after searching through a few menus, “The user flings sand or dirt in its opponent’s eyes to lower its accuracy.”  
  
“That’s a dirty trick if I ever saw one.”, I note.  
  
“With all due respect, hermana, I’m a Purrloin. I don’t know what you were expecting.”  
  
As I brush the dirt off my pants, Maria slinks into the shadows again, her deep purple fur making her near-invisible. She will, of course, lack this advantage in the Gym, but it’s good training nonetheless. She is but a shadow, dashing in, slashing away, and dashing back out again. She fights dirty, but damn, is it effective. My eyes begin to adjust to the darkness, but it’s still difficult to track Maria’s movements, at least, that is, until she comes charging towards me, yowling and pulsating with energy.  
  
“What the hell’s going on?”, I yell.  
  
“The energy”, she hisses through gritted teeth, “there’s too much of it! It hurts, and I don’t know how to stop it, dammit!”  
  
“Well, I haven’t got a fucking clue what to do right now either, but I know someone who probably does.”  
  
I pull out my phone and call Cheren. He picks up after a few rings.  
  
“Hello?”, he says.  
  
“Hi, Cheren. It’s me.”, I reply, talking quickly.  
  
“Oh, hey, Emily! Wait, aren’t you out training or something?”, he quizzes.  
  
“Yeah, I am, and something’s going on with Maria. She’s pulsing with energy, and she says there’s too much of it. I don’t know what’s going on, but it looks painful?”  
  
“Well, you’ve been training, so of course she’s leveling up, and a Purrloin of her level should know four moves, Scratch, Growl, Assist and Sand-Attack, so I’d say she’s trying to learn a new move.”  
  
“Well, why can’t she learn it, then?”  
  
“Don’t ask me why, but a Pokemon’s energy will become unstable if it tries to maintain knowledge of more than four battle techniques. According to my sources, the solution to your problem is to either tell the Pokemon to forget one of its old moves, or to stop learning the new one.”  
  
“Okay, okay. Maria, forget Assist.”, I order.  
  
“Really?”, Cheren says, exasperated, “Assist is cool. Why’d you get rid of it?”  
  
“Too gimmicky.”, I reply, “Anyway, Maria, learn whatever it is you’re learning.”  
  
“My brain is telling me it’s Fury Swipes or something.”, she notes, as the white aura around her pulses slower and slower before disappearing entirely.  
  
“Well, that seemed to work.”, i tell Cheren.  
  
“Excellent. If it ever happens again, which it will, it’s best to make the decision quickly. The ordeal tends to be rather painful.”  
  
“I noticed. Thanks for the help.”  
  
“Any time. See you.”  
  
“Bye.”  
  
I replace my phone in my pocket, and refocus my attention on Maria. She breathes heavily, examining herself to make sure everything’s still there after her rather uncomfortable experience.  
  
“You okay?”, I ask.  
  
“Much better, amigo.”, she replies, “Side note: can we never do that again?”  
  
“I’m still new to this, remember? I’ll try, but I make no promises. Anyway, about that new move you learned.”  
  
“Alright, alright. Let me see… ha! Yes! Got it! Let’s see what we can do.”  
  
Maria approaches a small bush. Raising her claws, she unleashed a storm of small, swift swipes, shredding the shrub. She stands triumphantly in its scattered remains.  
  
“Okay, okay.”, I say,, slightly uneasily, “Now that you’ve satisfied your appetite for the destruction of innocent plant life, tell me how that is any different from Scratch?”  
  
“Well, you see, senôrita”, Maria replies knowingly, “Scratch is one big attack. You know that. On the other hand, that - Fury Swipes, I think - is a whole bunch of little attacks. If I can land enough of ‘em, it’s a bigger hit than Scratch. Got it?”  
  
“Pretty much.”  
  
I stretch my arms and yawn loudly.  
  
“That’s enough training for one night, eh, Maria?”  
  
“Agreed.”  
  
  
It amazes me that the government has the funds to keep the Pokemon Centers running 24/7. I mean, it’s not late, per se, but it’s late enough that the only people in the foyer when we get back are Cheren and Bianca.  
  
“Hi, Emily!”, Bianca calls out, “I haven’t seen you since this morning! How’s it going?”  
  
“It’s going well.”, I reply, “I think the team’s ready to take on the gym leader tomorrow. Did Cheren tell you about our battle? He put up a damn good fight.”  
  
“No, no, not at all.”, Cheren interrupts insistently, “You demolished me. You’re really good at this, you know.”  
  
I chuckle, “Oh, shut up. You’re just being modest.”  
  
Bianca sighs, “Will you ever learn to just take a compliment once in a while, Em? Anyway, changing the subject, Cheren told me what happened with your Purrloin. Must’ve been scary, huh?”  
  
“I’d like to say I was too hardcore to be scared, but honestly, when you’re in the middle of a field, and it’s dark as shit, and your Pokemon comes out of nowhere screaming in pain and looking like they’re going Super Saiyan or something, even someone like me has the right to freak out a little. I’m just happy that Cheren could help, because I would have been lost otherwise.”  
  
“I’m glad I could be of service.”, he says.  
  
“Alright”, I continue, “I have to get my team back from Nurse Joy, then we can talk some more.”  
  
There is an open can of energy drink on the counter, and Nurse Joy yawns as I approach.  
  
“Shouldn’t your shift be over soon?”, I remark.  
  
“It should be.”, she replies, “Emphasis on should. The nurse who normally works the night shift ate some questionable seafood last night, so I’m in for the long haul.”  
  
“Can’t you just get some sleep? I don’t see why anyone would need their Pokemon healed at three in the morning.”  
  
“I don’t make the rules, kid. I just follow ‘em, and I might end up out of a job if I don’t.”  
  
“That sucks.”  
  
“It’s just bad luck. I’ve done this before, I’ll do it again. Anyway, your Pokemon. The Snivy, Lillipup and Panpour, correct?”  
  
“Sounds about right.”  
  
“Let me get them for you. How did training your Purrloin go, by the way?”  
  
“It went well. No major issues.” I lie, as she disappears into the back room. She returns quickly, holding three Poke Balls.  
  
“Thanks for taking care of them for me.”, I say, taking the balls.  
  
“Just doing my job.”, she replies.  
  
I head over to Cheren and Bianca, letting out my team.  
  
“Emily!”, Kelly enthuses, “You’re back! How was training with Maria?”  
  
“It was alright.”, I reply, “With all that training out of the way, we should be good to take on what’s-his-name.”  
  
“Chilli.”, Cheren notes.  
  
“Chilli. Yeah, we should be good to take him on tomorrow. Any pointers, Cheren?”  
  
“Of course. From what footage I’ve seen, Chilli’s Lillipup only uses Bite as an attacking move. Maria could be a useful asset, as Dark-types have a natural resistance to Dark-type moves.”  
  
“Thanks for the tip. Anyway, what have you guys been doing all afternoon? Let me guess: Cheren, you’ve been reading, Bianca, you’ve been taking pretty pictures.”  
  
“You got me!”, Bianca chuckles, “This city is so beautiful, though. What else is a shutterbug like me to do?”  
  
“I told you I’d be doing that”, Cheren remarks, “so don’t act all high and mighty.”  
  
“Not until you two stop being so damned predictable.”, I reply jokingly, “In all seriousness, though, how were your afternoons?”  
  
“I found a copy of Lance Blackthorn’s autobiography in the library”, Cheren says, “so I read some of that.”  
  
“How many times have you read that book?”, Bianca asks, slightly exasperated.  
  
“I don’t know. I lost count around the twenty mark. The number would be going up even more on this journey had I not forgotten to pack my copy.” He sighs, “Ah, well. I shall simply have to journey back to Nuvema once I acquire a Pokemon capable of flight.”  
  
“Aren’t you scared of heights?”, Bianca points out.  
  
“Oh. The Donphan in the room. Darn. Well, there goes that.”  
  
‘Scared’ is an understatement when describing Cheren’s fear of heights. When we were ten years old, I goaded him into climbing a tree, which he promptly fell out of, breaking his glasses and his right arm. He was damn near blind for a few days and had his arm in a cast for weeks, and ever since, he’s been terrified by pretty much anything higher than the top of his head. Although he’s insistent it wasn’t my fault, I still feel kind of bad about it.  
  
“Okay”, Bianca continues, “so, in between taking a whole bunch of pictures, I asked around to see if anyone knew where to find that Fennel person Juniper mentioned back in Accumula.”  
  
“You find anything?”, I ask.  
  
“Nothing good. It seems like everyone knows who she is, and everyone’s heard some crazy rumors about what she does, but nobody could tell me anything about where her lab is. A few people told me they knew a guy who knew a guy, but I just didn’t have the time to follow leads like that.”  
  
“You know”, I comment, “judging by what you heard, and by what little that Juniper told us, it seems to me like this Fennel person isn’t the sort we’d want to meet.”  
  
“I’m not sure.”, Cheren adds, “She does sound strange, but the professor told us to find her. We owe a lot to her, so we ought to listen. As to where we’ll find her, I’m willing to bet she’ll be looking for us. Juniper’s probably told her we’re in Striaton by now, and there aren’t a lot of places we might be. We’ll know her when we see her; Juniper said so.”  
  
“Cheren’s idea is sketchy”, I say, “but it’s the best we’ve got. Anyway, I’m gonna go now. You two can talk more if you want, but the team and I need some rest before our gym battle tomorrow. See you guys in the morning.”  
  
Bianca and Cheren bid me goodnight, I gather the team, and we head upstairs. It’s been a long day.  
  
  
Tuesday. Day four. Gym day. The team are as ready as they can be. Their trainer, on the other hand… not so much. I pace up and down the room, Leonard, Kelly, Maria and Ryan watching me as I rattle off all the Gym-related crap nobody bothered to educate me on before I left on this journey.  
  
“Dammit, dammit, dammit!”, I yell, “What do I say? Do I have to wear anything special? How do I even ask if I can have a battle? Do I just walk up to the fuckin’ gym leader and go all ‘fight me’? Why the hell did I never get told this?”  
  
“Do you have to be worrying about all this?”, Leonard questions, “From what I’ve seen, you seem to be, uh, how do I say this? Irreverent. Yes, irreverent.”  
  
“What does irrel- irrev- that big word you used- mean?”, Kelly asks.  
  
“It means she doesn’t really take people that seriously, even if they’re really important.”, he explains.  
  
“Yes, yes, I know what I am.”, I admit, “It’s just -  argh! This is different from before. I could talk a little smack to, say, Professor Juniper, because it’s just between us. This might be on TV or something, and that’s the one place I can’t make an ass of myself.”  
  
“You’re only getting your first badge.”, Ryan points out, “Why would they show the battle on TV?”  
  
“Maybe you’re right”, I note, “but just to make sure I don’t do anything taboo, let’s ask the authority on these things.”  
  
Maria yawns “I like to imagine that Cheren and me like a similar amount of sleep, which, by the way, is a lot more friggin’ sleep than you evidently like!”  
  
“I’m only a light sleeper when I’m nervous or in a hurry. Otherwise, I sleep like a log. If anything, he’s the light sleeper.”  
  
“The sun hasn’t even risen yet, hermana.”  
  
I look to the window, then the clock. Dark. 6:30. Shit.  
  
“I’m just a little restless. Well, a lot restless. A wise man once said that every journey begins with a single step. This is step one.”  
  
“I thought choosing me was step one.”, Leonard complains.  
  
“Perhaps. The thing is, once I get this gym badge, that’s my path chosen. No turning back. Also, I wanted to be able to, for once in my life, say that quote and mean it. Anyway, we have time to kill until Cheren wakes up, so, yeah.”  
  
It turns out to be rather difficult to kill time at six-thirty in the morning, alone but for four diminutive Pokemon in a Pokemon Center room. I take a small day pack and fill it what I hope to be enough Potions for the gym battle. I take a long shower. The shower isn’t great here, but the League’s picking up the tab, so I’m not complaining. I throw on a T-shirt and jeans, not really knowing what else to wear. After half an hour of this mindless action, someone knocks on the door.  
  
“Who is it?”, I grumble.  
  
“It’s Cheren.”  
  
I open the door for him.  
  
“I know you’re an early riser”, I remark, “but this is just weird, considering you probably haven’t yet adapted to the idea of Tuesdays not having school.”  
  
“Says you.”, he replies, “You’re never awake at seven, ever. There is no rational reason why Emily Sanders should be awake at seven o’clock.”  
  
“Nervousness. That’s my reason, should you need one.”  
  
“The gym battle?”  
  
“Yeah. Got any advice so I don’t massively fuck up in front of a person of national fame?”  
  
“You don’t need to do anything special, really. The Striaton gym leaders aren’t the biggest personalities on the League circuit - heck, they’re some of the smallest. Just be yourself, and, because I know you, try not to say anything completely stupid.”  
  
“Like I was going to.”  
  
“You were going to, weren’t you?”  
  
“Oh, shut up, you! I was not! Anyway, why are you up this early?”  
  
“Just a little jittery, that’s all. In case you forgot, I’m also taking on the Gym today, and I’m a lot less prepared than you are.”  
  
“You’ll be fine. You can use the morning to train your team some more. Or were you planning to watch my gym battle?”  
  
“Indeed I was. Is that a problem?”  
  
“No, no, no, not at all. I was just thinking that you might want to get some training in, and this time of morning would be a good time to do it.”  
  
“No. I don’t need to do more training. Watching your battle is much more important.”  
  
“Oh - okay. Thanks, I guess?”  
  
“You’re welcome. Should we ask Bianca to come as well?”  
  
“Yeah. I’ll text her so we don’t have to wait two hours for her to wake up. I’ll tell her to meet us outside the gym at ten. Does ten sound good to you?”  
  
“Ten sounds fine. I might get a couple hours’ training done, now that I think about it.”  
  
“Okay. See you at ten.”  
  
“Alright. See you.”  
  
He leaves. I have three hours to kill before the meet time, and right now, a big ol’ breakfast is sounding pretty good.  
  
  
Three hours later, with my stomach filled and my wallet thinned, I stand outside the Striaton City Pokemon Gym, waiting for Cheren and Bianca. I admit, I’m still kind of nervous, but the thought of having my friends cheering me on is helping to silence that little voice.  
  
“So I’m front and center, right?”, Ryan asks.  
  
“You and Maria.”, I reply.  
  
“Finally, some use!”, Maria huffs.  
  
“Hey, I used you against Cheren. Stop complaining.”  
  
At this point, Cheren shows up, grumbling in the direction of a visibly tired Bianca.  
  
“Come on, Bianca!”, he calls, “We don’t have all day!”  
  
“Ten o’clock!”, she complains, “Really? I mean, we’re practically on vacation here!”  
  
“You might think this is a vacation”, I remark loudly, “but I don’t. I have a gym battle to win.”  
  
“Alright, fine”, she grumbles, “but can you have al the gym battles you want me to watch in the afternoon from now on?”  
  
“I’ll keep that in mind. Anyway, no time for idle chitchat, let’s go!”  
  
The Striaton City Gym could be more accurately described as the Striaton City Restaurant Where You Happen To Fight Some Triplets With Stupid Hair, but that doesn’t roll of the tongue quite as well. Nevertheless, it’s what the place is: a restaurant with a stage upon which stand three young men, identical but for their equally stupid red, green and blue (respectively) hairdos.  
  
“Is this legitimately the Gym, Cheren?”, I ask.  
  
“Would you believe me if I told you this is one of the saner ones?”  
  
“What do you mean, sane?”  
  
“You’ll see once we get to some of the other gyms.”  
  
“I don’t like the sound of that.”  
  
“Could you be more specific?”, Bianca asks.  
  
“Let’s just say”, he remarks, “that I’m not looking forward to going a few hundred feet down a mine shaft, or being shot out of a cannon.”  
  
“You’re kidding.”, Bianca chuckles halfheartedly.  
  
“What. The. Shit?”, I utter, “Cheren, you should consider joining the air force, y’know, because of how often you drop these bombs on us?”  
  
He laughs “I think I’ll stick to Pokemon training, thanks. Anyway, I’m just giving you a little help for the future.”  
  
“How have these gyms not been shut down for how dangerous they are?”, Bianca notes.  
  
“Don’t ask me.”, Cheren replies.  
  
A man, who has probably been behind us this whole time, approaches me, holding a bottle of water.  
  
“Hello, young trainers!”, he announces cheerily, “My name’s Terry. I’m the gym guide for the Striaton City Gym. Are any of you fine young individuals intent on challenging one of the Gym Leaders?”  
  
“I am.”, I reply, “It’s only my first badge, so do I need a badge case or something?”  
  
“Indeed you do! Here you go.”, he replies, handing me a black, circular case. I won’t tell him, but I think it looks kinda like one of Bianca’s makeup boxes. I open it. The inside is lined with black velvet, apart from nine slots: eight long, thin ones arranged vertically around the rim, and a single ornate circle in the center.  
  
“I get that the eight outer slots are for the eight badges”, I comment, “but what about the middle one?”  
  
“That, young lady”, Terry explains, “is for the seal you obtain upon defeating the Elite Four. Should you ever reach them, of course. It is the ultimate mark of Pokemon battling prowess.”  
  
“Thanks for the info. I’ll be facing Chilli, right? I have a Snivy.”  
  
“That’s correct! Head up to the stage. He’s the red one.”  
  
“I never would have guessed.”  
  
  
“‘Sup, girl?”, the red-haired boy announces, “Name’s Chilli and, judging by your Snivy, I’mma be your Gym Leader today. You look like a no-badger, right?”  
  
“Yep.”  
  
He goes backstage, returning with two Poke Balls “Guess I’ll be using these two, then. Let’s do this. Clian, you mind being our ref?”  
  
“Not at all.”, the green-haired guy who I guess is Cilan replies, “Alright. Attention, trainers! This will be an official Gym battle between the leader, Chilli, and the challenger - what’s your name? I didn’t get the opportunity to ask.”  
  
“Emily.”  
  
“And the challenger Emily. The battle will end when one of these Trainers has no Pokemon remaining. Only the challenger may make substitutions. Leader Chilli, send out your first Pokemon.”  
  
“Go, Lillipup!”, Chilli shouts, releasing the small canine Pokemon on to the stage. It bares its teeth at me, raring for a fight.  
  
“Challenger Emily, send out your first Pokemon.”  
  
“Maria, let’s do this.”, I say. She emerges from behind my leg, hissing at Chilli’s Lillipup.  
  
“The battle begins… now!”  
  
“Maria! Hit it with Fury Swipes!”  
  
“Lillipup! Work Up!”  
  
Maria charges in, slashing rapidly at Lillipup’s face. A series of barks are spat out between swipes, and a faint orange aura pulses around Lillipup.  
  
“Do that again, Maria!”  
  
“Lillipup, use Work Up again!”  
  
Maria mixes up this encounter by going for the Lillipup’s side, and its barks are uninterrupted as a result.  
  
“Maria, finish it with another Fury Swipes, please.”  
  
“Lillipup, use Bite!”  
  
Maria stretches before lunging in for a final attack, but an aggressive bite to the side from Lillipup breaks her focus, and she only gets off a couple of swipes. It’s almost out for the count, but Chilli must have a potion or something. This isn’t over yet.  
  
“Alright, finish it with a Scratch.”  
  
“Alright”, Maria chuckles, “I’ll make this quick.”  
  
“Not so fast.”, Chilli announces, taking a potion from a small table and spraying it all over Lillipup. As the thin purple mist works its way into Lillipup’s wounds, fixing them in an instant, Maria throws all her might into a Scratch. She tears through fur and skin, and sends healing mist flying, but the damage, or should I say healing, has been done.  
  
“Oh, come on!”, Bianca calls out. Oh, yeah, those two are watching. Can’t focus on them, though. I have to win this.  
  
“Maria, Fury Swipes!”  
  
“Lillipup, Bite!”  
  
Maria lunges in for a flurry of slashes, but Lillipup scores a nasty hit on her abdomen, drawing blood and turning her attack into useless flailing. I fumble through my backpack for a potion. My hands clasp around one and I yank it out just as Chilli orders Lillipup to finish Maria, complete with exaggerated hand motion. Who does he think he is, some kind of anime character? I press down hard on the spray button, and the healing mist descends over Maria just as Lillipup lunges for her wounded flank. The bite wounds heal as soon as they open, and Lillipup recoils. Maybe it got some mist in its mouth. I can’t imagine that stuff tastes good.  
  
“Maria, change tactics! Use Scratch!”  
  
“Lillipup, use Bite again! Finish that thing! For realsies!”  
  
Lillipup’s previous attack still hurt, even through the potion, so Maria’s gait is slightly unbalanced as she heads in for the Scratch. The Lillipup is a fighter, alright, and it hits Maria in the same spot as before, even after she leaves a long gash in its face. I pull out another potion.  
  
“Really, girl?”, Chilli moans, “Another potion? Is this needed?”  
  
“It’s needed”, I hiss, “if I want to keep my fucking Pokemon alive.”  
  
His jaw drops.  
  
  
“W-w-wait.”, he stammers, “Alive. Th-that means…”  
  
“Yeah. I got Nuzlocke. Deal with it.”  
  
“Well, you shoulda told me!”  
  
“I didn’t tell you because I wanted to fight you at your full strength, not in watered-down pity mode.”  
  
“Girl, has anyone ever told you that you’re nuts?”  
  
“Yup. Get that a lot. Now, fight me.”  
  
Maria is raring to go, but Lillipup stands meekly by its Trainer’s side.  
  
“I said, fight me! Maria, finish his Lillipup with a Scratch!”  
  
“Gladly, hermana.”, she replies, charging in for a powerful slash across Lillipup’s face. It whimpers, moans something that sounds to me like “I can’t”, and collapses. I return Maria to her ball.  
  
“Lillipup!”, Chilli exclaims, returning it to its ball, “Man, you really aren’t holding back, are you?”  
  
“Yeah, and you shouldn’t either.”  
  
“Alright, then. Let’s see if you can beat my ace. Pansear, let’s show her what happens when we pull out the stops.”  
  
He releases Pansear. It looks an awful lot like Ryan, except for its Fire typing. In my opinion, the fire hair thing it has going on is much cooler than Ryan’s stupid water flower. As I send Ryan out, I sincerely hope he can’t read my thoughts.  
  
“Alright, Pansear, let’s do this. Use Work Up!”  
  
“Ryan, blast it with a Water Gun!”  
  
“Already on it!”, he affirms through water-filled cheeks. Pansear pulses with orange light and grins, but its smugness is interrupted with a blast of water to the face.  
  
“Work Up again!”  
  
“Water Gun! End this!”  
  
As Pansear uses Work Up a second time, a strange thing happens. I can hear it clearly.  
  
“Hoo, boy.”, he says, “You think you can mess with me? Well you’re dead wrong, buddy. Prepare to be destr-“  
  
Ryan Water Guns it in the stomach, knocking it to the ground.  
  
“Shut up.”, he retorts, “You’re not nice.”  
  
Pansear gets to its feet.  
  
“Pansear”, Chilli stammers, “incinerate her Panpour.”  
  
“Ryan, Water Gun. He’s on his last legs.”  
  
“You think a little water can stop me?”, Pansear coughs, “Think again, asshole.”  
  
He opens his mouth, and a scattered stream of flame comes out. Pansear throws his head from side to side, but this only spreads the flame thinner.  
  
“That tickles.”, Ryan notes, “This won’t.”  
  
He fires a third and final blast of water, sending Pansear flying. Chilli returns it to its ball, hands trembling.  
  
“Damn, girl. You’re quite something. Most kids who come here for their first badge get stomped, but you destroyed me. You are well deserving of the Trio Badge. Cress, you got the badges?”  
  
“Yes, Chilli.”, the blue-haired boy says, producing a box full of badges. They look like little bowites with the Gym Leaders’ colors on them. I fish my badge case out of my bag, and Chilli hands me a badge. Rotating the case, I find the appropriate slot and insert the thin piece of metal.  
  
“Oh, by the way”, Cilan adds, handing me a white flash drive, “you’ll want this too.”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“It’s a Technical Machine, or TM for short. The name’s outdated, but the purpose has stayed the same throughout the years. On this USB is data for the move Work Up. Plug it into your Pokedex, and it can upload the data to a compatible Pokemon’s brain, teaching it the move. Since it’s a lot of data to copy, the process takes a little while, but the TM is infinitely reusable.”  
  
“That is cool.”, I enthuse, pocketing the flash drive.  
  
Chilli grabs Cress by the shoulders, still shaking.  
  
“Cilan.”, he says loudly, “call the other Gym Leaders, and tell them that if they fight this chick, not to hold back, because she certainly won;t.”  
  
“Damn right.”, I comment, “Can I go and see my friends now?”  
  
“Sure you can.”, Cilan replies, “Your gym battle’s over, after all.”  
  
  
As soon as I step down from the stage, Cheren and Bianca are on top of me in a group hug.  
  
“I know I told you not to say anything stupid”, Cheren says breathlessly, “but that was awesome. You’re awesome. You showed him who’s boss.”  
  
“Girl”, Bianca adds, “you should be the waitress here, because he just got served! Great job! Group photo?”  
  
I sigh “Fine. Group photo.”  
  
She pulls out her phone. Normally, I’m averse to Bianca’s selfies, but fuck it, I just won my first gym badge and this moment needs to be captured. I’m still holding my badge case, so I pop it open and show off my new badge to the camera.  
  
“Hey.”, Cheren adds, “How about we get the stars of the show in here?”  
  
“You’re damn right we should. Ryan, Maria, get in here.”  
  
Ryan clambers up on to my shoulder with ease, while Maria, still wounded has to be lifted. She still manages a lopsided grin for the photo, a photo which Bianca promises she won’t put on Instagram. Selfie taken, we break apart to discuss our next move.  
  
“The closest Gym is in Nacrene.”, Cheren says, “so we should head there next. After Bianca and I have earned our badges here, of course.”  
  
“I wanna find a way into the inner Dreamyard.”, Bianca adds, “I hear there’s a Pokemon there called Munna that’s pink with a floral pattern and oh, sweet Mew it just sounds so cute!”  
  
“What about that Fennel person that Juniper told us to find?”, I note, “We still have no clue where she could be.”  
  
Suddenly, a head framed by long, flowing dark blue hair pops out from the corridor leading to the toilets, followed by a lab coat-clad, female body. She breaks into a run in our direction, before abruptly stopping to get a better look at us, and also to prove that she has no indoor voice.  
  
“Huh. Let’s see: bespectacled nerd, tomboy, dumb blonde, yep, you guys must be Juniper’s pupils! I’m Fennel, by the way. I’ve been in that corridor for an hour waiting for you guys.”  
  
“I am not a dumb blonde!”, Bianca protests.  
  
“Yep.”, I remark, “We saw her, and by Arceus, did we know her. Also, what the fuck is with this lady?”  
  
“Beats me.”, Cheren sighs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That was almost 5,000 words of chapter, and I'm proud of myself. Roadtrips do wonders for the amount of writing I can do. Anyway, our protagonist has her first Gym badge, more world building has been done, and we've met Fennel (the gang wish they hadn't). Anyway, thanks for reading. 'Til next time.


	10. Chapter 9: Dreams

Chapter 9  
  
  
Fennel is presently pacing up and down the restaurant, having forgotten our presence as soon as she noticed it. She mumbles illegibly while the three of us decide on how best to deal with her.  
  
“I’m not going with her, that’s for sure.”, Bianca starts, “She called me a dumb blonde, for crying out loud!”  
  
“I have to prepare for my gym battle this afternoon”,   
  
“It’ adds, “and I don’t want to see any more of her than I already have. I think we were right in saying that Fennel wasn’t the kind of person we’d want to meet.”  
  
“Well, I guess that leaves me.”, I sigh, “The craziest of us. Not sure whether that’s good or bad in this case.”  
  
“Usually, your craziness is bad”, Bianca notes, “but it takes one to know one. I think you’re our best choice here, Em.”  
  
“Arceus help you.”, Cheren remarks.  
  
I approach Fennel quietly, tapping on the shoulder, causing her to leap into the air.  
  
“Oh, hey, hey, hey!”, she squeals, “You must be Emily! Oh, Aurea’s told me so much about you! Come on, come with me! I’ll take you to my lab.”  
  
“Alright.”, I reply reluctantly. She leads me outside the gym, where she has parked her car. That is, of course, if you could call it a car. It looks more like a semi-coherent pile of spare parts held together by staples and hope. The interior isn’t any better. The seats are torn to pieces, Fennel’s collection of air fresheners does little to conceal the pungent odor, and no, broken speedometer, we are not going fifty miles an hour right now. I settle into what’s left of the passenger seat, only for my feet to find various used chip packets and an unidentifiable sticky substance in the footwell.  
  
“Have you ever cleaned your car, like, in the past ten years?”, I ask.  
  
“Oh, I don’t use it much, so I don’t see a reason to!”, Fennel replies.  
  
No comment. None. She must have just lived with the filth long enough to become blind to it. Thankfully, the drive to Fennel’s lab is short, and we clunk to a halt outside what appears to be a common-or-garden two-story house with flaky white paint and a large satellite dish on the roof.  
  
“We have arrived!”, Fennel announces theatrically.  
  
“Joy.”  
  
“Hey, don’t be all grumpy! Come on!”  
  
“You called Bianca a dumb blonde.”, I hiss under my breath as I exit the deathtrap, “I mean, she kind of is, a bit, but still.”  
  
As it turns out, the lower floor of the house is occupied by a young couple, who introduce themselves as Kevin and Samantha.  
  
“What are you two doing living with… her?”, I question.  
  
“She pays half the rent and lets us use her fast wi-fi.”, Kevin explains, deadpan.  
  
“We’re practically local celebrities for having to deal with her.”, Samantha adds.  
  
“I’m right here!”, Fennel complains. None of us care to respond, so she leads me upstairs, slightly disgruntled. Compared to Fennel’s car, her lab space is much more organized. Weird, sure, what with the bubbling vats of Mew-knows-what everywhere and all the various weird-ass machinery, but not disorganized. Across the room is a woman with blue hair like Fennel’s, but arranged in a neat bun instead of flowing lazily over her shoulders. She sits at a computer terminal that can only be controlling Skynet or some shit. It’s huge. The woman watches an array of monitors, surrounded by towering computers and a tangled mess of wires.  
  
“Who is that?”  
  
“Oh, that’s my sister, Amanita! She’s the admin for the Pokemon storage system all over Unova. You can talk to her, but only after you have completed Errand.”  
  
“Oh, boy.”, I mutter, “An errand. Whaddya want?”  
  
“Simply put, Dream Mist. The Munna in the Dreamyard give it off, and I need you to go and get some for me.”  
  
“Isn’t that, you know, a drug? I’m not gonna get you drugs, lady. Let’s make that clear.”  
  
“No, no, no, I need Dream Mist for science! Sweet, sweet, science! The kind that might actually get me a substantial research grant for once! Isn’t it exciting?”  
  
‘Yay.”, I deadpan, “Whoop-dee-doo. I can barely contain my excitement.”  
  
“Glad to see you’re on board. Anyway, to get into the area of the Dreamyard with Munna in it, you’ll need this.”, Fennel says, handing me a TM.  
  
“This”, she explains, “is Cut. Teaching it to a Pokemon allows to cut things.”  
  
“Who’d have thought?”  
  
“Anyway, it’s not a TM, but rather an HM, or Hidden Machine. Once taught, an HM becomes hard-wired into a Pokemon’s brain, and cannot be overwritten by normal means.”  
  
“Why’s that?”  
  
“Ah, just a few incidents of people drowning or getting trapped in caves, nothing major. Anyway, stick this on one of your ‘mon, and it should be able to hack its way through the foliage that stands between us and some sweet, sweet Dream Mist.”  
  
“And, for doing this errand, I get to talk to Amanita, right?”  
  
“Yep. Hit the head on the nail. Or is it the other way around? I forget sometimes.”  
  
I sigh, grumbling under my breath as I leave Fennel’s lab, “This had better be fucking worth it.”  
  
  
“Alright”, I say, inserting the Cut HM into my Pokedex, “let’s see if this works. Maria, get over here.”  
  
“Fine.”, she grumbles. The ‘dex recognizes her as she approaches, and gives me a prompt to replace one of her moves, listing the four that she currently has. How cool is that shit? Technology is pretty damn amazing these days. I tap on Sand Attack.  
  
“Are you sure you want to replace Sand Attack with Cut?”, the ‘dex chimes.  
  
Yes. Yes I would. Upon pressing the button, the display changes to a readout saying ‘Energy Transfer in Progress.’ Maria winces as the transfer is completed.  
  
“Hijo de puta, hermana!”, Maria exclaims, “It feels like you hammered a fuckin’ nail into my brain. That shit is not comin’ out easy.”  
  
“Good. That was the intended effect. Anyway, let’s get moving.”  
  
At the Dreamyard, we find the foliage that Fennel told us about fairly easily, primarily due to the presence of Bianca, who stares quizzically at the overgrown, thorny bush that has blocked off access to the ruins proper.  
  
“How am I supposed to catch a Munna if I can’t get past this darn bush?”, she grumbles, running her hands through her hair.  
  
“I can help.”, I say, raising my hand in the air like a little kid answering her teacher’s question.  
  
“Emily!”, Bianca exclaims, “What are you doing here? I thought you were helping Fennel.”  
  
“Here’s the thing. I am. She sent me here to get Dream Mist from a Munna.”  
  
“Isn’t that, you know, a drug?”  
  
“Oh, believe me, I thought the exact same thing initially, but she assures me it’s purely for scientific purposes.”  
  
“Well, that’s a relief.”  
  
I sigh.  
  
“Oh, Bianca, you can be dense sometimes. Of course she’s gonna get high off the stuff! I mean, have you seen the woman? I’m only doing this so I can talk to the admin of the Pokemon storage system, who happens to be Fennel’s sister.”  
  
“You know, if it was any other person, I’d tell you not to do this, but Fennel’s a jerk. She deserves whatever she gets by doing drugs. Anyway, you said you could help with the bush.”  
  
“That I can.”, I announce, slightly smug, “Maria, show her what you can do.”  
  
“Alright.”, Maria says, approaching the bush, “Here goes nothing.”  
  
She raises a paw, and a white energy begins to emanate from her claws before forming into a machete-like blade. With one slash, she bisects the bush, clearing a path wide enough for a person to go through, albeit carefully.  
  
“That was pretty neat.”, Bianca comments.  
  
“That was Cut.”, I note, “Fennel gave it to me for this exact purpose. Anyway, Maria, good job.”  
  
“Gracias, amigo.”, she says, climbing up to my shoulder.  
  
Bianca and I tiptoe through the remains of the bush and into the ruins. The place is scary, not gonna lie. It’s all broken concrete, exposed steel and overgrown plant life, the hiding place of something or someone that could kill you before you had time to blink. The thing we actually find is… nothing like that. At all. Pink, round, and with a floral pattern, I can see why Bianca would want one. It levitates alone in a relatively clear area, a welcome splash of color amongst the drab greens and grays of the ruins.  
  
“Oh my gosh.”, Bianca says breathlessly, “That’s a Munna. I want it so bad. We can’t startle it. Oshawott, get out here.”  
  
She releases the small Water-type from its ball. Suddenly, I hear whispers and rustling grass coming from behind a pillar.  
  
“Shh.”, I whisper.  
  
“What?”, Bianca complains.  
  
“Hear that? We’re not alone. Someone’s here.”  
  
“Maybe they’re just trying to catch a Munna, like I am.”  
  
“Why would they be behind a pillar then? Hide.”  
  
The two of us and Oshawott take up position behind a pillar, my head peeking out sideways. Two men in the knight costumes of Team Plasma emerge from behind their pillar, one holding what looks like a vacuum cleaner, one of those small ones without wheels.  
  
“Bianca, take a look at this?’  
  
“Who are those guys?”  
  
“Team Plasma. Their leader did a speech in Accumula, sad they were Pokemon rights activists.”  
  
“What are they doing here?”  
  
“I get the feeling we’re about to find out.”  
  
  
The empty-handed grunt approaches Munna.  
  
“Alright, Munna.”, he grumbles, “We can make this easy, or we can make this hard. Just give us the Dream Mist, and nobody needs to get hurt. We don’t want to have to hurt Pokemon, y’dig?”  
  
Munna backs away slowly, a puzzled look on its face.  
  
“Don’t understand, huh? Don’t worry, I wouldn’t expect a stupid Pokemon like you to be able to understand our noble goal. Since you’re clearly not going to listen to reason, we’ll just have to use a little force.”  
  
The man lunges for Munna, overpowering it and pinning it to the ground. His partner approaches with the vacuum, waving it at the Pokemon’s mouth.  
  
“Come on, you bastard.”, Vacuum Man orders, “Give us the Dream Mist.”  
  
Munna remains defiant. Vacuum Man proceeds to kick it in the face. It squeals in pain, releasing a small puff of pink mist, which Vacuum Man sucks up.  
  
“This is barbaric!”, Bianca protests, “We need to call the police!”  
  
“The cops won’t do shit, and anyway, I need that Dream Mist. I’m thinking we dish out a little vigilante justice.”  
  
“If that means what I think it means, then you’re crazy, but we don’t really have a choice.”  
  
“Send out your Lillipup. I’ll get my team out here. Let’s do this.”  
  
We release our Pokemon, but the telltale ‘pchoo’ of our Poke Balls alerts Vacuum Man and his buddy to our presence.  
  
“Who goes there?”, Vacuum Man yells, taking a break from kicking.  
  
“Hey, Team Plasma!”, I call, “I heard your little speech in Accumula Town, and judging by that, I could have sworn you guys were Pokemon rights activists. If that’s true, then what are you doing to that Munna?”  
  
“Hey, kid.”, Vacuum Man spits, “You ever hear the saying ‘kill one, save a thousand?’ This little Munna accepts its pain, because it knows that it’s for the greater good. Now buzz off!”  
  
“It doesn’t look very accepting of you kicking its face in!”, Bianca shouts.  
  
“What’d I tell you shitstains? Krookodile, teach ‘em a lesson!”  
  
He throws out a Poke Ball, and my jaw drops for about two seconds, at which point I realize that Vacuum Man’s “Krookodile” is actually a Purrloin.  
  
“Ghetsis… lied to me?”, Vacuum Man utters disbelievingly.  
  
“He lied to you”, his partner observes, lifting a hand off Munna and reaching for a ball, “but Lord Ghetsis would never be so cavalier as to lie to me. Garbodor, destroy them!”  
  
“Garbodor” turns out to be a Patrat, and I lose all hope of taking these chumps seriously.  
  
“Guys”, I chuckles, “pair up and take these idiots down.”  
  
“Oshawott, Lillipup, help out!”, Bianca adds.  
  
The two men watch dumbfounded as both their Pokemon get triple-teamed. Vacuum Man’s Purrloin gets slammed to the ground by a double tackle from our two Lillipup before Maria delivers a powerful slash across its face to finish it off. His partner’s Patrat gets two simultaneous blasts of water from Ryan and Oshawott, flinching it and allowing Leonard to leap into the fray, vines raised. He delivers the final blow with a satisfying whipcrack.  
  
“What… no!”, Vacuum Man laments, “This isn’t possible? We didn’t just get beat by two kids! Did we?”  
  
“I think we did.”, his colleague observes.  
  
“Let’s get outta here.”, Vacuum Man says hurriedly.  
  
The two men turn to run, but a pink mist descends over the clearing, and Ghetsis appears out of nowhere before them.  
  
“The goal of Team Plasma is to create separate worlds for humans and Pokemon.”, he utters, before disappearing and then reappearing by Vacuum Man’s side.  
  
“Now, grunt, why would I lie to you?”, he questions, once again flickering out of existence. He reappears next to the other guy. By this point, all four of us are thoroughly confused.  
  
“Grunts! You have failed in your mission. Report back to headquarters for immediate punishment!”  
  
“Y-y-yes, Lord Ghetsis!”, the two grunts stammer. As they turn to run, another voice speaks, this one feminine and stern.  
  
“Team Plasma. Leave, and never come back.”  
  
Vacuum Man drops his vacuum. Both men start screaming, barging past Bianca and I and running off the way we came.  
  
  
The pink mist withdraws, and my eyes follow the trail of thin smoke back to a large, pink, levitating Pokemon that is clearly related to Munna. An evolution, perhaps?  
  
“What is that?”, Bianca wonders.  
  
“That is a Musharna.”, Fennel rep- wait, when did Fennel get here?  
  
“Now, Emily, did you get me the Dream Mist? Also, what’s your friend’s name? I didn’t get the chance to ask.”  
  
“It’s Bianca”, Bianca replies grumpily, “not Dumb Blonde, thank you very much.”  
  
“Oh. Sorry about that. I was just really excited to meet you guys, and I get a little uninhibited when I get excited.”  
  
“Well”, I continue, “it wasn’t us who got the Dream Mist, per se, but there should be some in that vacuum thing over there.”  
  
“I don’t remember giving you a vacuum. Could it have something to do with the two guys in weird knight costumes who ran past me on my way in?”  
  
“Actually, it did. Those two guys were Team Plasma. Apparently, they’re a Pokemon rights group. They wanted the Dream Mist for some reason, and they weren’t afraid to beat the crap out of Munna to get it. We wrecked their shit with our Pokemon, then this weird pink mist descended, we all tripped a whole bunch of balls, and then they ran away. I think that Musharna over had something to do with it.”  
  
Fennel’s face lights up, and she raises a finger, “Yes, yes! You’ve experienced the effects of Dream Mist! When controlled by a Munna or Musharna, it is a powerful hallucinogen. More often than not, the hallucinations are based on the thoughts of one or more of the affected individuals.”  
  
“Well, that explains why our little trip involved Team Plasma’s giving his underlings a damn good talking-to.”, I note, “Not that any of this really makes any sense, but I’ve started caring less about what makes sense lately. Anyway, take your damn Dream Mist and go get high. i don’t care anymore.”  
  
“You thought I was going to use the mist recreationally?”, Fennel questions, exasperated, “I only did that in college, and trust me, don’t. Anyway, when uncontrolled by a Munna or Musharna, Dream Mist can act in such a way as to make the affected very prone to suggestion. You tell them to do something, and they’ll do it. It is my belief that, using the power of science, I can concentrate the mist into a liquid form, creating a sort of mind control serum. The way I see it, CIA, MI6, KGB, they’ll be clambering over each other trying to get their hands on the stuff. I’ll make millions!”  
  
“Huh.”, I note, “I actually see the logic there.”  
  
“Wait, Ms Fennel?”, Bianca says.  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Since you seem to have all the Dream Mist you need, so you think I could, um, keep Munna?”  
  
“Well, it’s not my Munna, is it? Just go ahead and catch it if you want.”  
  
Bianca smiles and squeals as she approaches Munna, Poke Ball in hand.  
  
“Um, Munna?”, she says, “I’m not sure if you can fully understand me, but I’m sorry that all that bad stuff had to happen to you. If you come with me, I promise that I’ll keep you safe, and Team Plasma will never hurt you ever again.”  
  
Munna nods.  
  
“Is that a yes to coming with me?”  
  
Munna hovers closer to the ball, tapping its forehead on the plastic capsule. The ball slurps it up in a flash of light, shaking a few times in Bianca’s hand before contentedly clicking shut.  
  
“Oh my gosh!”, she exclaims, leaping into the air, “I caught my very own Munna! Now I might stand a better chance against the Gym, oh, and it’s so cute too! Thanks for helping me out, Emily.”  
  
“You’re welcome, girl.”, I say, grinning and high-riving her. Sappy as it sounds, here’s something about seeing Bianca happy that makes me happy too. Banca runs off, smiling.  
  
“So, anyway”, I continue, “just take the vacuum, and I’ll see you at your lab.”  
  
“You don’t know where my lab is, do you?”  
  
“I have to ride in your car again, don’t I?”  
  
“Yep.”  
  
“Fuck.”  
  
  
One harrowing car journey later, Fennel and I are back at her lab. She allows me to talk to Amanita, but I approach her gingerly. She is clearly engrossed in whatever she’s doing and probably doesn’t want to be-  
  
“AMANITA! Someone wants to talk to you!”  
  
-disturbed.  
  
Amanita spins on her swivel chair, facing me and grinning.  
  
“Ah, Fennel.”, she muses, “Ever the excitable one. Oh! You must be that Emily girl she’s been raving about!”  
  
“She’s been raving about me?”  
  
“She doesn’t get a lot of visitors.”  
  
“I can imagine. Anyway, Fennel said you might have something interesting to tell me.”  
  
“Oh, yes. That I certainly do.”  
  
She stands up, ushering me towards a small pad linked to a large computer. She picks up an apple from her desk.  
  
“Alright, watch this.”, she says, placing the apple on the pad, “See that pad on the other side of the room?”  
  
I glance across the lab, and sure enough, there’s another pad linked to another computer.  
  
“Yep. I see it.”  
  
“Head over there, and when I tell you to do so, press the green button.”  
  
“Alright.”  
  
I let my hand rest over the oversized green button, and Amanita throws a switch on her side of the room. The machines whirr briefly, and sparks crackle around the pad as the apple disappears in a flash of light.  
  
“Now, press the button.”, she commands.  
  
I theatrically slam the button, and the computer erupts in a series of whizzes and whirrs.  
  
“Acquiring connection to mainframe.”, it announces, “Connection required. Retrieving request.”  
  
A sparking pillar of light appears in the middle of my pad, and from it, the apple spirals into existence. I grab the apple, and take a bite.  
  
“It’s delicious, but doesn’t teleportation already exist?”, I comment, “I saw it on the Internet somewhere.”  
  
“I admit, it was a bad demonstration of the Item Storage System.”  
  
“The item what now? I mean, I know of the Pokemon Storage System, but I didn’t think there was one for items.”  
  
“Well, there is now. The tech is very similar to what’s used in the PSS, so the actual development was easy. The problem with it is that inanimate objects lack natural Infinity Energy, and as such, they require more power to store than Pokemon, who can contribute some of their own energies to the process. As a result, we can’t just let everyone use the service. There would be too much strain on the servers. Fortunately for you and your friends, I happen to have three activation codes lying around.”  
  
“It’s almost like you planned that.”, I sass.  
  
“You know, I could unfortunately lose one of the activation codes, so I’d recommend you watch your mouth.”  
  
“Fine, fine. Thanks for the codes. What can I use this storage thing for, anyway?”  
  
“Well, if you’ve got any supplies you don’t feel like lugging between towns on your back, you can just place them in the PC at your origin, and retrieve them at your destination.”  
  
“That sounds like something I could agree with. I’m getting a little tired of hauling a giant backpack full of stuff from town to town.”  
  
“Alright”, she says, handing me three slips of paper, which I pocket, “run along now. I’m sure those friends of yours want those activation codes as much as you do.”  
  
“Cool. Thanks, Amanita!”  
  
“Hey, Emily!”, Fennel calls, “Want a ride back to the Pokemon Center?’  
  
“I’ll find my own way there, thanks.”  
  
  
It’s been a long day, and it feels good to sink into a couch in the Pokemon Center. I examine one of the activation codes, trying to find the strength to get off my ass and input it. The stimulus I need comes in the form of Cheren and Bianca bursting through the door.  
  
“Hey, Emily!”, Cheren yells, “Come here.”  
  
“Can’t you come over here? I’m tired.”  
  
“It’s 4 p.m, Em.”, Bianca comments.  
  
“Dammit! Fine.”  
  
I heave myself off the couch and towards my friends. It turns out Cheren is holding a badge case, which hangs open from his hand, showing a Trio Badge.  
  
“Hey, congrats! That’s awesome. Sucks I wasn’t there to see it happen, though.”  
  
“It’s fine. I know you had important stuff to be doing.”  
  
“Anyway, I have some things to give you guys.”  
  
I hand over the two slips of paper.  
  
“What are these?”, Cheren asks.  
  
“Well, you see, Bianca and I parted ways at the Dreamyard. Bianca presumably went to watch your gym battle, while I went to meet Amanita, The admin of the Pokemon Storage System, and Fennel’s sister.”  
  
“If this Amanita is anything like her sister”, Cheren remarks, “I’m not sure why you would be so fondly reminiscing about a meeting with her.”  
  
“Oh, shut up. They’re both decent people once you get past the early stages. Anyway, she did this really cool party trick where she teleported an apple, and then gave me three access codes for a special PC function that allows us to store objects, so we don’t have to lug all our crap around all the time.”  
  
“That sounds excellent.”, Cheren notes, “I shall input mine now.”  
  
“I think I’ll do mine later.”, I note, “Right now, I’m giving Mom a call. I’ve had a big day, and she deserves to know about it.”  
  
“Alright, Em.”, Bianca says, “See you later!”  
  
I return to my original, and still incredibly comfy, couch, and call my mother.  
  
“Hi, Mom.”  
  
“Hi, Emily! How was your day, sweetie?”  
  
“It was great, actually. I won my first gym badge! The team did a great job.”  
  
“Oh, I’m so proud of you.”, she fawns, “My little girl, all grown up and out there in the big, wide, world.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, I love you too, mom. Anyway, that was the morning, and after that, I went to meet a friend of Juniper’s. She was kinda weird, and then”, I mumble, unsure of how to phrase this afternoon’s escapades to my mother, “Yeah. That happened.”  
  
“You’re hiding something from me, aren’t you?”  
  
“What? No!”, I exclaim defensively.  
  
“Emily Sanders”, she says sternly, “I have been your mother for sixteen years, and believe me, that is long enough for me to know whenever you’re hiding something from me. Tell me what really happened this afternoon.”  
  
I sigh “Fine. You ever heard of Team Plasma?”  
  
“I think I have, actually. I heard about them on TV. Apparently, they did a bunch of simultaneous speeches across the region about Pokemon rights.”  
  
“Yeah, I was at one of those in Accumula. Anyway, the part about Juniper’s friend wasn’t a lie.”  
  
“What happened to Team Plasma?”  
  
“I’ll get to that. Anyway, she sent me somewhere to run an errand. I got there, running into Bianca in the process. While we were there, we found two members of Team Plasma beating up a Pokemon. Then, they noticed us.”  
  
“Oh, honey, are you okay?”, Mom interjects.  
  
“Relax, mom. We’re both fine. We beat their Pokemon with our Pokemon, and then they ran off. I was never in any real danger.”  
  
“I know, but, and you’re going to hate me for saying this, you’re my little baby.”  
  
“Yep. Hate you for saying it.”  
  
“I just like knowing that you’re safe, okay? I don’t want you getting hurt when you’re far away from home and I can’t be there to help you.”  
  
“Relax, mom. I’ll be alright. It’s not like I’m alone. I have Cheren, and Bianca, and my Pokemon.”  
  
“Alright. I hope that’s enough. I’m sorry if I come off as nagging at times. I nag because I love you, and I want to make sure you’re not doing anything stupid. I miss you so much.”  
  
“I miss you too, mom.”  
  
“Thanks for the call. Let’s talk again soon. I guess you’re headed to Nacrene next. I can’t wait to hear more tales of your grand adventures.”  
  
“Don’t exaggerate, mom! This isn’t some fantastical quest that I’m on.”  
  
“I’m not exaggerating, I’m just being motherly!”  
  
I laugh, “Love you, mom.”  
  
“Love you too, sweetheart.”  
  
“See you.”  
  
“Bye.”  
  
I put down the phone. Yep, Nacrene’s next. It’s pretty far away from Striaton, from what I’ve heard. Even if I set off in the morning, I might have to stop for the night. There’s a small tent and sleeping bag in my pack, but I never thought I might have to use them this early. The thought of such a long walk is kind of daunting, but it also excites me. Maybe Mom was right. Maybe this is a grand adventure. Is that such a bad thing?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit shorter than the last one, but the last one was a Gym Battle. Kinda hard to upstage. Anyway, Team Plasma... yeah, most of the grunts are just comic relief villains. Great, innit? 'Til next time.


	11. Chapter 10: The Knight

Chapter 10  
  
  
I wake up to the pitter-patter of rain on the roof of the Pokemon Center. I was planning to set out for Nacrene early, but it’ll be nice to have a little indoor time to myself. The team are scattered around the room. Maria sulks in a corner on orders not to claw the place to pieces (has she been there the whole night? Damn.) Kelly is curled up by my side. Ryan is attempting to coerce Leonard into a game of tag, but my Snivy, clearly past the point of polite refusal, is hiding behind a chair leg. Heh. These guys.  
  
“Good morning, Emily.”, Kelly yawns.  
  
“Morning, Kelly. How you doing?”  
  
“I’m fine. The others aren’t very happy, though. I don’t get it. The best thing in life is being happy.”  
  
“Sometimes, Kelly, things don’t go your way, and then you don’t have so much of a reason to be happy.”  
  
“How thoughtful.”, she notes.  
  
“It’s a rainy morning. What else can I do but think? I”m not usually this wise.”  
  
“Well, you’re the smartest person I know, that’s for sure.”  
  
“I’m the only person you know.”, I correct, “Believe me, there are way smarter and more thoughtful people out there than me.”  
  
She chuckles, “I guess you’re right. Do you know any of these smart people?”  
  
“Well, I know Cheren, who’s way smarter than me, and I kinda know Professor Juniper, who’s even smarter than him, since, you know, it’s her job to be smart.”  
  
“How does that work?”  
  
“Well, she’s a scientist. She’s always trying to learn new stuff about Pokemon.”  
  
“She’s that lady we saw in Accumula, right?”  
  
“Yep. She gave me Leonard. I owe her big time for that.”  
  
“Hi.”, Leonard says.  
  
“Hi, Leonard.”, I reply, “What’s up?”  
  
“I don’t wanna play tag with Ryan.”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“Because I just woke up, and I’m still tired. You hear that, Ryan?”  
  
“I don’t think playing tag inside is such a good idea, hermano.”, Maria adds.  
  
“Well then, let’s go outside!”, he protests.  
  
We all give him blank stares.  
  
“What?”  
  
Leonard sighs, climbing up to the window and wildly gesturing towards the streaks of water running down it.  
  
“Oh. Right. Rain. I mean, I don’t mind, but I guess you guys do mind. Right?”  
  
“Eu-fuckin’-reka.”, I grumble.  
  
“Don’t be so hard on him.”, Kelly says, “Just because you’re really smart doesn’t mean everyone else is.”  
  
“Did she just call Ryan stupid?”, Maria questions.  
  
“I think she did.”, Leonard replies, “But in a really nice way, like she didn’t mean to insult him because, you know, she’s Kelly.”  
  
“We can all hear you, you know.”, Kelly interrupts, “Why is it that everyone’s being so mean all of a sudden? I mean, the rain thing was obvious, but we don’t have to be jerks about it.”  
  
“Thanks, Kelly.”, Ryan says, “Can we drop the subject now? I’m hungry.”  
  
“Sure.”, she replies, “I wouldn’t mind some food either.”  
  
“Food can be arranged.”, I note, yawning, “Just… gimme a little longer in bed first.”  
  
Ryan sprays cold water in my face.  
  
“So I take it that’s not gonna happen?”  
  
  
Pokemon Center food is, as before, mediocre but free. We eat breakfast in relative silence, and I contemplate the eating habits of my Pokemon. Ryan drinks a lot of water, which makes sense. Kelly wolfs down sausages whose primary ingredient is probably rubber. She doesn’t care. I wouldn’t either. I’m not a picky eater. I have the rather lackluster selection of products at my local grocery store to thank for that. Maria is eating some fish. Well, fish paste. The stuff you put in sandwiches. It’s the best I could do. Leonard is again engaging in what may or may not be cannibalism. I’m not feeling particularly hungry, and I have my backpack with me, so I decide to try out the item storage system. Once I enter my trainer ID, the PC loads a menu with my name and face in the top left corner, and options labeled Pokemon Storage and Item Storage. I select the latter, and it asks me for an authorization code. Which I have. On me. Right now. Definitely. In my pockets. My fingers clasp around a crumpled piece of paper. There we go. I enter the code Amanita gave me, and the screen flashes up a green “Access Granted”. Sweet. Alright. “Deposit Item”. Sounds about right. I dump my pack on the floor, open it, and start the process of judging how much of this crap I can stick in the computer. Which is a lot, as it turns out. I grab a folded shirt, which I have to fold again so it fits on the rather small teleporter pad (probably not the correct technical term, but it sure as hell looks like a teleporter). A scanner passes over the shirt, and I confirm the deposit. The machine whirrs into action, arcs of electricity dancing across the pad. A bar fills on screen, and when it finishes, the shirt disappears in a flash of light. The whole process takes about twenty seconds, and the shirt shows up as an icon on screen. The next ten minutes are spent uploading item after item to the Matrix until the weight of my pack is bearable for humans not named Arnold Schwarzenegger or John Cena. Last I checked, I fit in to that category, so yay for me! I return to the table, where the team has been waiting patiently.  
  
“What were you doing there, amigo?”, Maria asks, “Some kinda black magic?”  
  
“Relax, Maria.”, I reply, “I was just storing some of our stuff in the computer so I don’t have to lug it all around.”  
  
“Well, good for you, I guess.”  
  
“Oh, hey.”, Kelly says, “The rain’s stopping. Can we go now?”  
  
“Not yet. There’s one more thing I want to check out.”  
  
I head over to the Poke Mart, where the clerk greets me with a smile.  
  
“Hello”, he says, “welcome to the Poke Mart. How may I help you?”  
  
“I’m just looking to stock up on supplies before I head out to Nacrene.”  
  
“Oh, so I take it you’ve already earned your badge from the Gym here in Striaton?”  
  
“Indeed I have.”  
  
“Well, if you show it to me, or to any other Poke Mart clerk, you can purchase more of our stock. Before, you could only buy Potions and Poke Balls, but your first badge adds better potions and balls, status curatives, and Pokemon repellent.”  
  
“Alright.”, I affirm, pulling out my badge case, “Here you go.”  
  
“Let me give that a quick scan.”  
  
He gives the badge a quick pass with a scanner, which flashes green.  
  
“Alright, all good. Interested in any of the new items on offer?”  
  
“I’ll take a look.”  
  
Not wanting to waste too much money, I grab two bottles of each status healer, a can of repellent, and a few potions to replace the ones I used in my gym battle. I hand over the requisite cash and load the supplies into my bag.  
  
“Alright.”, I announce to the team, “We’re ready. Let’s get going.”  
  
The rain has stopped, but dark clouds still hang in the sky, allowing only thin pillars of sunlight through. Ryan is all too happy to splash around in the puddles on the sidewalk, much to my annoyance. I don’t want to ruin his fun, but my shoes are wet and my feet are cold. We walk for about ten minutes before finding a map of the city on an information board. I can’t help but notice how far away the entrance to Route 3 is from the “You Are Here” marker. I haven’t really been able to wrap my head around just how big this place is. I’m regretting my earlier decision not to eat breakfast. Screw it. I’m taking the bus.  
  
  
The bus stop for Route 3’s start point is next to a convenience store, so I go in and buy a ham sandwich. My hunger satisfied, we continue on to Route 3, a paved walking path whose entrance is marked by leafy arches. The path runs alongside a two-lane road, at least initially. The main road to Nacrene is further away, and follows a more direct route than the meandering path. As the team take their positions, Leonard and Kelly on my shoulders, Ryan and Maria walking at my feet, it occurs to me that I haven’t seen or heard from Cheren or Bianca all morning. Bianca is still asleep, that’s my guess. She still needs to get her gym badge here in Striaton, and after that, well, Bianca certainly isn’t the camping type. She’ll probably take the bus. Cheren… he’s an early riser, was probably up at six or something, but the rain… Arceus knows where he is. A few minutes’ walk down the path is a rather rustic building with a sign denoting it as the Striaton City Pokemon Day Care, and a large garden that wraps around the building in an L shape. Scattered around the garden are Pokemon of all shapes and sizes, more than a few of whom seem to be getting rather… oh, sweet Mew, is that Serperior doing what I think it’s doing? I hastily place a hand over Kelly’s eyes, moving rapidly away from whatever the hell THAT was supposed to be, and in to the building itself, if only to find out what kind of sick bastard would allow this to - it’s an old lady. A sweet, innocent old lady who smiles at me from behind the counter as I walk in. Oh, and Cheren’s here too, his Pokemon scattered around him, an umbrella leaning against a chair, and his jacket drying by a radiator. Well, I found him. One down.  
  
“Emily!”, he calls, “Fancy seeing you here.”  
  
“Hi, Cheren. How you doing?”  
  
“Not great. I was up early this morning, wanted to get a head start. Three hours of walking in the rain has made me regret that decision.”  
  
He sneezes.  
  
“You’re not sick, are you?”  
  
“No. Not really. Probably not.”  
  
“Sometimes, you’re just too determined for your own good. Anyway, you see that Serperior outside?”  
  
“Yes, and frankly, I wish I hadn’t.”  
  
The old lady chuckles, “Would you believe me if I told you that that specimen belonged to Cilan, one of the gym leaders of our fine city?”  
  
“Well, no.”, I reply.  
  
“How could such a quiet, calm trainer raise such an… energetic Pokemon?”, Cheren adds.  
  
“I couldn’t hope to understand that.”, she admits, “What’s odd is that he’s only like this when Cilan isn’t around. He certainly knows what his trainer expects of him. My husband would know how to calm him down. He’s an expert on the mating habits of Pokemon, but he’s out of town at the moment.”  
  
“How do Pokemon even, y’know, do the thing?”, I ask.  
  
“It varies from species to species. For the production of young, you need a male and a female, of course, and most of ‘em have similar sexy bits to humans, but the two partners also need to share what we call an egg group. There’s at least a dozen - my husband knows the exact number - and they seem to be based on physical traits. For example, the Dragon egg group is primarily Dragon-types, as one would expect, but it also contains many serpentine Pokemon, such as Gyarados and Arbok, and some reptilian species, such as Scrafty. We call them egg groups because they determine which Pokemon can breed to produce eggs. Two Pokemon can have all the love in the world for each other, but if they lack a common egg group, they simply cannot reproduce. Their genetic code forbids it.”  
  
“I think I get it”, I say, “but what’s the difference between the eggs we eat and the eggs Pokemon lay?”  
  
“Well, the eggs we eat, which are usually Combusken eggs, are unfertilized, small, and delicious. A fertile Pokemon egg is much larger, for it contains the unborn Pokemon’s body, and is energized by Infinity Energy. All Pokemon hatch from eggs. A pregnant Pokemon would die from the strain of having a second source of Infinity inside them. We humans are the exception.”  
  
“Huh. The more you know. Thanks, lady.”  
  
“You’re welcome, dear.”  
  
I turn to Cheren.  
  
“Did she just give us the Pokemon version of the sex talk?”, I question.  
  
“Well, you did ask.”, he remarks.  
  
“We should get moving. You ready to go?”  
  
He picks up his jacket, briefly inspecting it.  
  
“I think I’m alright. Thanks for your help, miss.”, he says to the old lady.  
  
“Oh, it wasn’t a problem at all!”, she replies, “Goodbye, you two.”  
  
We bid her farewell, leaving quickly.  
  
  
Next door to the Day Care is a kindergarten, where the kids are currently having their lunch break. The two properties are sensibly separated by a hedge. A few of the kids are playing with their Pokemon, all Patrat, Purrloin, and Lillipup. They might be trainers, which might mean more levels for my team, but wouldn’t it be rude to -  
  
“Hey, guys!”, one of them yells, “Trainers!”  
  
We find ourselves quickly mobbed by small children.  
  
“You guys are trainers, right?”, a boy asks, “You have to battle with us! We wanna learn how real trainers fight!”  
  
“But Tommy!”, a girl says, “These two are probably really strong. They’d beat us easy.”  
  
“You got a better idea then, huh?”  
  
“Yeah. Why don’t they battle each other? Then we can see how they fight.”  
  
“That sounds fun.”, Cheren says, “You up for it, Em?”  
  
“Sure. Why not? We’ve had kind of a slow morning, and a battle should get us going. Oh, and promise me you won’t be as much of a pushover as last time.”  
  
“Trust me. I won’t be.”  
  
“Alright. Team, you up for this?”  
  
“I guess so.”, Leonard replies.  
  
“Of course!”, Kelly says.  
  
“Let me at him.”, Maria adds.  
  
“Let’s do this thing!”, Ryan yells.  
  
The kids usher us to a small, damp field, which will be our battleground. We choose to lead with our respective starters. Leonard clearly thinks I’ve lost my mind, but I have a plan. The Tommy kid elects himself as the ref.  
  
“It’s time to d-d-d-duel!”, he announces dramatically,  “Are you ready?”  
  
“Yeah.”, Cheren says.  
  
“Let’s get this done.”, I affirm.  
  
“Alright.”, Tommy says, “Let’s go!”  
  
“Tepig, use Ember!”, Cheren commands.  
  
“Leonard, tag out!”, I order, “Ryan, get in here!”  
  
“So I’m not going to die after all.”, Leonard quips.  
  
Tepig fires off an Ember, but it flies low over the damp grass, losing power and fizzling out.  
  
“Alright, Ryan! Water Gun!”  
  
“On it!”, Ryan yells, sucking up water from the grass.  
  
“Not so fast.”, Cheren remarks, returning Tepig to its ball “Tepig, get back. Pansage, let’s show ‘em what we can do.”  
  
Huh. That’s a new one. The Poke Ball bursts open to reveal a green monkey. Well, there’s a water one, and a fire one, so it stands to reason there should be a grass one. Ryan fires off his Water Gun, but it barely tickles Pansage.  
  
“Alright.”, Cheren says, “Pansage, Vine Whip!”  
  
“Damn it.”, I grumble, “Ryan, get outta there! Kelly, it’s your turn.”  
  
Ryan scampers back, Kelly taking his place just in time to get a vine across the back, which leaves a nasty red mark. She yelps in pain.  
  
“You alright, Kelly?”  
  
“I’m okay.”, she murmurs, wincing.  
  
“Good. I have a plan. Use Bite, and don’t spare the force.”  
  
“Pansage, Vine Whip again!”  
  
Kelly charges towards the retreating monkey, which readies a vine, but not before she tears into it with a powerful bite. Pansage lets out a piercing screech and stumbles backwards, nursing its wound.  
  
“Bite’s secondary effect.”, Cheren mutters, “A chance to flinch. Damn.”  
  
“Kelly, hit it with another Bite.”  
  
“Pansage, Vine Whip!”  
  
Kelly leaps at Pansage again, latching herself on and ripping into flesh. Pansage grimaces as it lashes out with a vine, throwing her back and leaving her bruised.  
  
“Potion, please.”, she whimpers.  
  
“On it.”, I reply, fishing one of the spray bottles out of my pack. No sooner has the healing mist descended that Pansage lashes out with another Vine Whip.  
  
“Alright, Kelly. Tackle now. Finish it off.”  
  
Instead of healing, Cheren orders another Vine Whip.  
  
“Not gonna use a potion?”, I inquire.  
  
“I, kinda, uh, used them all in my gym battle and forgot to buy more.”, he admits sheepishly, “So much for being the Pokemon expert.”  
  
We look down from our little conversation to see Kelly standing triumphantly over an unconscious Pansage. Cheren sighs, returning the monkey to its ball and sending out Tepig. I let Kelly rest, bringing Ryan back out.  
  
“Ryan, Water Gun.”  
  
“On it.”  
  
“Tepig, use Tail Whip.”  
  
Ryan lets loose a jet of water, striking Tepig square in the face. The pig squeals, turning around and waving its tail at Ryan, blowing a raspberry for effect.  
  
“Really?”, Ryan sighs, “Another Water Gun, coming up.”  
  
“You read my mind, bud.”, I remark.  
  
“Tepig, Tail Whip again.”, Cheren orders, “We need to soften him up.”  
  
Ryan spreads his arms out tauntingly, leaving his squishy belly rather exposed to any attack, before firing off another blast of water. He scores another solid hit on Tepig’s face, but the pig is up to its old tricks again. It coughs up water, flicks a hidden berry on to its tongue, and loudly eats it. As a final flourish, Tepig spits a seed in Ryan’s face before swinging its tail around some more. This pig does not give a damn!  
  
Ryan clenches his hands into fists, “I’ve had enough of you, piggy. Prepare to be annihilated!”  
  
“Tepig, tackle him while his guard’s down!”  
  
Tepig finds its footing in the damp grass, charging towards Ryan’s exposed belly, but Ryan quickly hoses it down with a furious jet of water. It lets out a faint squeal before collapsing. Cheren recalls it, placing the Poke Ball on the ground. He tossed out his final Pokemon, Purrloin. I call Ryan back, sending Maria forward for a little mirror match.  
  
“Alright, Maria. Use Cut.”  
  
“Purrloin, Assist.”  
  
Purrloin runs its paw across Tepig’s ball, seemingly oblivious to Maria’s charge. She raises a claw, but Purrloin dodges at the last second, snickering as Maria slashes at nothing. It lets the energy from Tepig’s ball flow to its tail, whipping it around tauntingly. Maria hisses at her foe before turning her head and staring daggers at me. Because this is clearly all my fault.  
  
“O-kay.”, I remark, “Let’s try a Scratch. See if you can actually hit it this time.”  
  
“Fine.”, she mutters, “But you watch what you say, pendejo.”  
  
“Purrloin, Assist again!”, Cheren orders.  
  
Purrloin repeats the motion of drawing energy from Tepig’s ball, giving Maria her chance. She sneaks up behind it and delivers a slash across the back. Purrloin howls in pain, leaping over the Poke Ball and waving its tail in disgust.  
  
“You wanna tango, asshole?”, Maria taunts, “Come at me!”  
  
“Not today, Maria.”, I explain, “It’s got your guard down. You take a hit, it’s gonna hurt.”  
  
“Oh, come on!”, she complains, “I can take him, easy!”  
  
“Guess we’re doing this the hard way.”, I sigh, thumbing the button on Maria’s Poke Ball. She shoots me a glare before being sucked in by the ball. Ryan bounds forward to take her place, unfazed by the swipe Purrloin takes at his face.  
  
“Water Gun?”, he queries.  
  
“Water Gun.”, I affirm.  
  
“Just hit it, Purrloin.”, Cheren sighs.  
  
Purrloin starts off towards Ryan, claws raised, but Ryan is having none of it, his eyes lighting up as he looses a torrent of water at its neck. Purrloin coughs, wheezes, and trips over itself, falling flat on its face and fainting. The kids erupt into cheers. Cheren just shrugs.  
  
“There’s a healing machine in the Day Care.”, he says, turning to leave, “I’ll be fine. You go on ahead. I’ll see you later.”  
  
Before I can reply, I’m swamped by small children, who endlessly bombard me with questions. I answer as many as my sanity allows. I’m not used to getting this much attention and, to be frank, it’s really annoying. My Pokemon aren’t safe either. Ryan and Kelly don’t seem to mind being passed around and petted by a horde of five-year-olds, but Leonard is a different story. He flinches at any attempt made by the kids to pet him, finding his solace by climbing on to my shoulder and burying himself in my jacket.  
  
“I don’t like this very much, Emily.”, he murmurs.  
  
“You and me both, Leonard.”, I say, tracing circles on his head with a finger, “Don’t worry. We’ll be back on the road soon.”  
  
“Don’t leave!”, a boy moans.  
  
“Sorry, kids.”, I announce, “Question time is over. See you never.”  
  
I rescue Kelly and Ryan from the clutches of the horde and leave, the whining mass of children following me until I’m off the property.  
  
“Thanks, Emily.”, Leonard says.  
  
“You’re welcome. You guys come first. Always.”  
  
  
Route 3 is rather busy at this time of day, populated by people of all shapes and sizes, many of whom are trainers. More often than not, they look way stronger than me. A rather powerful-looking Scrafty grins at its muscular trainer, cracking its knuckles, and a girl’s Eelektrik has somehow wound itself around a tree branch, to name a couple. Very few of these trainers even acknowledge my presence. I might have a shiny new badge to my name, but I’m still near the bottom of the food chain. Past the clump of trainers is a fork in the path that offers me the option of heading through a field of tall grass that rustles with the movements of Pokemon. We could certainly use a fifth. Heading down the right fork towards the grass, I catch sight of a small, rapidly advancing grey blur in my peripheral vision. Before I can fully register what it is, it crashes into my temple, sending a lance of pain shooting through my face and leaving me stumbling. The blur is actually a Pidove with unruly feathers holding a scrap of grey fabric with its left foot.  
  
“You gotta help me!”, she squawks rapidly, “There’s a problem!”  
  
“Slow down.”, I say, “You’re talking too fast.”  
  
The Pidove collects herself, clearing her throat.  
  
“Alright, so I saw these two men in grey clothes. One of them had a knife, and the other one had a bag. Then, there was a little girl. She had a Lillipup. The men went up to the girl and yelled at her. The guy with the knife waved it at her face, and then the other guy took the Lillipup and put it in the bag. I tried to stop them, but all I could do was rip a piece off the bag guy’s clothes.”  
  
Team Plasma. It has to be. Those cocksuckers.  
  
“Where’s the girl?”, I ask.  
  
“Over there, on the other side of the grass.”, she replies, gesturing with a wing. The girl can’t be more than ten, a junior trainer without a proper license. She’s curled into a ball, sobbing her eyes out. I approach her slowly at first, then more quickly when I realize that she’s too caught up in her own emotions to even notice my presence.  
  
“Hey, kid.”, I say, “What’s your name?”  
  
“Jessica.”, she mumbles between sobs.  
  
“Jessica.”, I repeat, “Alright. I’m Emily, and I’m going to help you. Don’t ask how I know what’s wrong, I just do. I’m going to get your Pokemon back.”  
  
“D-don’t do it.”, she stammers, “Th- those men, they said I shouldn’t be allowed to have a Pokemon. Maybe they’re right. And one of them had a knife.”  
  
“No. They’re criminals, and they’re wrong. I have a pocketknife. I can take them. Kelly, get a sniff of that fabric, see if you can track their scent. Kid, stay put. Bird, come with me.”  
  
  
Kelly follows the scent, and we follow Kelly, Leonard constantly reminding me that I am insane and will probably be killed. Maybe I am insane, but I also have a bone to pick with Team Plasma. I don’t like ‘em, simple as that. Oh, and I have a knife too. Kelly leads us down a smaller path that branches off from Route 3 and ends up at the entrance to Wellspring Cave, a hole in the side of a hill that Pidove, who I should probably catch and name, is somewhat knowledgeable about.  
  
“If those men really did go into the cave”, she says, “then they messed up. Unless they plan to float down the river, which seems unlikely, this is their only exit.”  
  
“They’ve backed themselves into a corner.”, I observe, “Morons. Let’s go.”  
  
What little light the cave entrance provides peters out quickly, so I fish my flashlight out of my pack, flicking it on and scanning the cave with its cone of light. My footsteps echo loudly off the walls, water drips from the ceiling, and a river flows on lazily to my left. Decidedly at odds with these noises is the cackling of two criminals who think they’ve gotten away with it, coming from behind a rocky outcrop. I shine the flashlight above their heads, and their conversation turns panicked. I draw my pocketknife.  
  
“Who goes there?”, one yells. After a brief period of deliberation, both men emerge, and lo and behold, they’re the same guys from the Dreamyard. Vacuum Man twirls a rather large knife, certainly bigger than mine, is his hands. His partner in crime holds a squirming potato sack, and his shirt has had part of the left shoulder torn off.  
  
“You again.”, Vacuum Man sneers, “Didn’t your mommy ever tell you not to interfere with the work of grown-ups? You’ll get the fuck out of here if you know what’s good for you.”  
  
I stand my ground, my team by my side.  
  
“Now, forgive me if I’m wrong”, I remark, “but I don’t remember your leader saying that Pokemon liberation meant stealing Pokemon from kids!”  
  
“You’re too young to understand Team Plasma’s goals, kid.”, he retorts, gripping his knife, “Don’t make me have to use this.”  
  
“I told you we were going to die.”, Leonard comments.  
  
“Come on, fellas.”, I chuckle with as much bravado as I can muster, “Nobody has to get hurt here. Just give me the Pokemon, and we can all go home. Okay? Okay.”  
  
Vacuum Man’s buddy, who I shall henceforth dub Sack Guy, takes a step back.  
  
“She might have a point.”, he stammers, “Lord Ghetsis would surely be displeased if we were to hurt-“  
  
Vacuum Man clamps a hand over Sack Guy’s mouth, tightening his grip on the knife.  
  
“Shut the hell up. This cocky little shit has already foiled one of our plans, and I’m not letting her foil another. Remember, the end justifies the means. Don’t get in my way.”  
  
He launches into a sprint, knife raised. I flick my flashlight off and sidestep his charge. The lack of light is a double-edged sword, but I’ll take any advantage I can get. Vacuum Man’s quick, though, and he gathers himself for a lunge at my arm. The thing is, Leonard is also quick. He raises a clump of moss from between two rocks and forms it into two vines, wrapping them around Vacuum Man’s left foot. He trips and starts to fall, but his grip on the knife stays tight. I try to backpedal away from his swing, but I stumble on a rock that I swear wasn’t there a minute ago and fall on my ass. As pure pain courses through my body, Vacuum Man breaks free of Leonard’s vines and advances on me, knife raised. Oh, hell. I fucked up, didn’t I?  
  
“You shoulda listened when I told you to scram, huh?”, he taunts.  
  
I don’t say anything. What can I say? Nothing that’ll make a difference, that’s for sure. I start pushing myself up on to my feet, but I’m only delaying the inevitable- wait, what’s that noise?  
  
  
A tendril of crumbled rock snakes across the floor, with whatever’s creating it making a beeline for Vacuum Man. He turns around to investigate, and I take my chance, springing to my feet and wrapping my arms around him, the knife in my right hand hovering over his heart. The tendril stops at his feet as a Drilbur bursts out of it, flinging sediment in his face and slashing at his ankles. Sack Guy drops his sack and makes a run for it. Vacuum Man scratches and rubs at his face, and Drilbur sharpens its claws.  
  
“Leave.”, I hiss.  
  
“Holy shit.”, he utters.  
  
I move the knife away from his heart, and he backs away towards the cave entrance, breathing heavily and bleeding on his shoes. I drop my knife and stare at the Drilbur dumbstruck. This thing just saved my life!  
  
“Erm, hello? Are you in there?”, he quizzes, his accent British and sophisticated, which I don’t question because I’ve just stopped questioning these things at this point.  
  
“You… you saved my life.”, I stammer.  
  
“Indeed I did.”, he replies, “After all, it is a knight’s duty to aid those in need, and judging by the rather sharp knife that ruffian was waving in your direction, I reckoned that aid was necessary.”  
  
“You’re a knight?”  
  
“More of a knight errant, per se, seeing as I lack a master to serve. Oh, where are my manners? I’m Drilbur.”  
  
“Emily. So, you’re looking for a master, huh?”  
  
He looks around at my four team members and one pseudo-team member, all of whom are gazing at him, as dumbstruck as I am.  
  
Drilbur chuckles, “What luck? I appear to have found myself a Pokemon trainer! If you were to be so kind as to allow me to accompany you on your quest, I would greatly appreciate it.”  
  
“Hey, while we’re on the subject”, Pidove adds, “you look like you have potential. I’d like to join you, too.”  
  
I grin, grabbing two Poke Balls and tapping them on Pidove and Drilbur’s foreheads. As soon as the balls click shut, I toss them on the ground.  
  
“Alright, now you two need names. Let me think… yes! Pidove, your new name is Alice, and Drilbur, you shall be Lewis.”  
  
“Alice…”, Alice contemplates, “I like it. Rolls off the tongue.”  
  
“Lewis may not be the name of a knight”, Lewis comments, “but a name does not make a knight. A knight makes his name immortal.”  
  
“Hell yes.”, I enthuse, “Alice, Lewis, welcome to the team.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long one, at about 5,000 words. For a good long while, I was stuck at about 250 words, but I've been getting a lot done recently. I have to thank Rampant Tragedy for giving me writing tips in the Nuzlocke Forums shoutbox, as well as all the other fine folks who were there at the time. Sadly, I think I'll be saving the Purrloin-with-a-gun joke for some kind of gag update or self-parody. Anyway, this chapter introduces Lewis, who I am really excited to write. Also, GAME MECHANICS EXPOSITION, because sweet Arceus, that shit makes no sense. 'Til next time.


	12. Chapter 11: Powered Up

Chapter 11  
  
  
With Lewis and Alice successfully initiated, I turn on the flashlight and recap my surroundings. Sack Guy has managed to sneak away, but he left his sack behind. Also abandoned on the floor is Vacuum Man’s knife. I consider picking it up, but on consideration, I decide against it. It’s a hunting knife, for killing things, and I don’t need that capability. The Pokemon in the sack (it was a Lillipup, wasn’t it?) squirms and whimpers. I quickly untie the top of the sack, and a Lillipup with shaggy fur and a terrified look in its teary eyes races out onto the cave floor. It gazes into my eyes and starts to cry, pausing between sobs to cough out its (his, actually) thanks. This doesn’t last long, though, as all the crying and talking is replaced with coughing.  
  
“You thirsty, bud?”, I ask. The dog nods in agreement, so I lead him to the river that runs through the cave. He laps up water, his tongue flicking stray droplets on to his face.  
  
“I feel unloved.”, Kelly complains. I turn around to find her sulking.  
  
“Don’t worry, Kelly.”, I say, “You haven’t been replaced. We just gotta get this little guy back to his trainer in one piece. How’s Lewis going?”  
  
“Oh, he’s just introducing himself to everyone. He seems pretty nice.”  
  
“That he does.”  
  
I hear footsteps coming from the cave entrance, and whoever it is making them switches on a flashlight. A wall of rock blocks my view of the entrance, though, so I can’t put a face to these actions.  
  
“Hello?”, I call out, “Someone there?”  
  
“Emily, is that you?”  
  
Cheren. It’s Cheren. The hell is he doing here?  
  
“Yeah. It’s me.”  
  
“What are you doing here?”  
  
“I’d ask you the same question.”  
  
He skirts around the rock wall and joins me by the river.  
  
“Hi, Em.”, he says, glancing quizzically at Alice, then Lewis, then Lillipup, “So, yeah, why are you here? And what’s with all the new Pokemon?”  
  
“It’s a long story.”  
  
“Don’t worry. I’ve got time.”  
  
I recount the events of the past 45 minutes or so in detail, with Cheren staying quiet and not asking too many questions.  
  
“Huh.”, he says as I finish, “So that explains the two Team Plasma guys I saw running for the hills on the way here, one of whom had blood all over his shoes.”  
  
“Sounds about right.”  
  
“Nice Drilbur, by the way. Who would have thought that Pokemon could have such fascinating personalities?”  
  
“Yeah. I guess so. Alright, I’ve told my story, now you tell yours.”  
  
He shrugs, “My story isn’t anything compared to yours. I’m just here to catch a Roggenrola. It’s a Rock-type. You find them everywhere in caves like this one. It’ll be really helpful for the next two Gyms. Anyway, shouldn’t you be getting that Lillipup back to its owner?”  
  
I look behind me and find Lillipup pacing impatiently.  
  
“I should get to doing that, shouldn’t I? How about I do that, you catch that thing you were talking about, and we meet up at the fork in the path?”  
  
“Sounds good.”  
  
“Awesome. See you in a bit.”  
  
  
The girl that Lillipup belongs to (her name was Jess or something, wasn’t it?) is right where I left her. She’s stopped crying, instead just curled up under a tree, rocking gently from side to side. As soon as Lillipup notices her, he launches himself out of my arms towards her, and starts furiously licking her face. Jess’ eyes light up and she starts sobbing, really bawling, and Lillipup starts crying too, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a little teary-eyed.  
  
“Oh, Lillipup!”, she squeals, “I thought I’d never see you again! Thank you, Emily, thank you so much! I wish there was a way I could repay you.”  
  
“Don’t worry,” I assure her, “It’s fine. Dealing with Team Plasma was its own reward. Adios, kiddo.”  
  
“Goodbye.”  
  
I leave Jess and Lillipup to their reunion and continue down the path towards the fork. We walk in silence for a few minutes until Maria speaks.  
  
“You know, you didn’t really deal with Team Plasma, per se. Was more like, you yelled at them a lot and fell over, and then Lewis dealt with ‘em.”  
  
“Yeah,” I reply, “but she doesn’t need to know that, does she?”  
  
Lewis smiles, “I appreciate the recognition, Lady Maria.”  
  
Maria scowls at him, “I’m no lady, idiota. So don’t call me one.”  
  
He shrugs, “I suppose you wouldn’t be, based on my knowledge of your species.”  
  
“Damn right.”, she affirms.  
  
We reach the fork, only having to wait for a couple of minutes before Cheren shows up. He tosses me a granola bar, which is thoughtful, considering that it’s lunchtime. And what a lunchtime it is. The sky has cleared, and the sun shines down on the river that runs beside the road, making the water sparkle. The air buzzes with the sounds of nature. Life oozes from all around me. Blitzle and Zebstrika gallop through the fields at breakneck speeds, their hooves sparking with every impact. Unfezant soar gracefully through the skies, trailed by flocks of Pidove, who tumble and loop around each other in a chaotic acrobatic display. And here I am seemingly in the middle of all of it, with my best friend and my Pokemon, running on a high of having done something good. It doesn’t get much better than this. The Pokemon are loving it too. Ryan takes the aquatic route, playfully baiting Basculin and dodging the snapping jaws by a hair’s breadth time and time again. Alice joins the acrobatic show above us, determined to outshine her former peers, pulling off maneuvers to make a fighter pilot squeamish. I love being out in nature. Since Dad left, Mom and I have never had very much money to spend on movies and games and stuff, so most of my entertainment over the past eight years has come from the beaches and forests that surround Nuvema. Cheren isn’t so much of a fan, instead keeping himself occupied through the variety of gifts that his workaholic parents shower him with in lieu of actually spending time with him. I feel like the only reasons he stuck around in Nuvema instead of moving to Castelia, which is what his parents probably wanted, are me, Bianca and Juniper. Mainly me, though. He likes me too much.  
  
  
We walk and walk until the sky starts turning orange and our stomachs rumble, making camp on a small rise in the land overlooking a thick, overgrown field of dark grass. For me, pitching a tent is like riding a bike. For Cheren… yeah, I end up doing it for him while he lies prone with a pair of binoculars, scanning the grass for Pokemon.  
  
“Take a look at this.”, he says, ushering me over and handing me the binoculars. Peering through them, I see a chubby pink-and-cream Pokemon with stubby legs, large ears with feelers stretching out of them, and a cotton-ball tail. It looks extremely cuddly.  
  
“What is it?” I ask.  
  
“If memory serves me correctly,” Cheren replies, “that’s an Audino.”  
  
“What do you mean, you dunno?”, I joke, throwing my hands in the air.  
  
“Really, Em?” he sighs, “Really? Anyway, Audino is a Normal-type Pokemon known for its selflessness. It has access to masses of energy, but instead of using that energy to make itself stronger, it gives it to others. They make excellent healers, and can grant large amounts of experience to Pokemon.”  
  
I grin “So they’re pretty much big, cuddly experience piñatas?””  
  
Cheren nods, “Couldn’t have said it better myself. You thinking what I’m thinking?”  
  
“Yep.”, I reply, gesturing towards the cluster of Pokemon gathered between our tents, “Kelly, get over here!”  
  
“Come here, Roggenrola.”, Cheren calls, drawing the attention of a blue rock with tiny legs, a brown spike sticking out the top of it, and a yellow hole in the middle. It’s not fast.  
  
“Do you think it would be faster to put it in its ball and carry it?”, Cheren asks, twiddling his thumbs.  
  
“Probably.”, I answer, Kelly already at my side.  
  
It’s almost comical how little Roggenrola moves in the time it takes for Cheren to stand up and get its Poke Ball, but with the Rock-type encapsulated, we’re ready to go. Kelly looks like she could go running off at a million miles an hour, but I tell her to stay by my side. The dark grass looks like it could swallow me whole, let alone her.  
  
“How do we get its attention?”, I ask, gesturing at the grass, “It can’t be fun walking through that.”  
  
“I’m pretty sure it already knows we’re here.”, Cheren answers, “You see, Audino have incredibly acute hearing.”  
  
“Indeed we do, human.”, the Audino replies, her soft, motherly voice flowing through the grass, “I can track every living thing for a good ways in every direction. Some of us can even understand human speech.”  
  
She emerges from the overgrowth, parting the grass with her short, stocky body.  
  
“Of course, you two are probably just hearing me blabbing my name over and over again.”, she continues, sighing, “Look at me, wasting my breath.”  
  
“Actually, I can understand you just fine.”, I note.  
  
“Gifted or cursed?”, she asks, leaning forward to look at me.  
  
What does that even… oh. I get it.  
  
“Cursed.”, I reply solemnly.  
  
“Child, to be doing what you’re doing with the curse, why, you must be either very brave or very stupid.”  
  
“Bit of both, honestly.” I remark, nodding.  
  
“This is basically like listening to someone talking on the phone.”, Cheren whispers in my ear, “I’m only getting half the conversation, and I have no idea what’s going on.”  
  
I chuckle, patting his shoulder, “Sorry, bud.”  
  
“It’s fine.”, he replies, shrugging.  
  
“Anyway”, I say, returning my gaze to Audino, “you were saying?”  
  
“I overheard your friend talking about my kind’s many abilities”, she states, “and I was under the impression that you were particularly interested in my experience-granting powers.”  
  
“Pretty much.”, I affirm, pointing at Kelly.  
  
“Well, I would be glad to oblige.”, she replies, a smile spreading across her face and her feelers extending, “Alright, who will it be first?”  
  
“Ooh, me, me!”, Kelly squeals, launching herself at Audino.  
  
“Settle down, young one.”, Audino coos, placing the tip of her right feeler on Kelly’s forehead, “Ah, yes, yes. You’re close. I can feel it. This should be enough.”  
  
She places her hands together, like she’s praying, and closes her eyes. The tip of the feeler sparks and crackles, and waves of energy flow through Kelly, making her eyes go wide. Thing is, as soon as the tendril stops sparking, she winces in pain, still glowing with energy,  
  
“Huh.”, Audino remarks, “Learning a new move, are we? Let me see… aha! Take Down! Sound good?”  
  
“Kelly, get rid of - damn, what was it - oh, yeah, Odor Sleuth.”, I answer.  
  
Kelly’s grimace turns to a grin, but the energy surging through her has one more trick up its sleeve. She is enveloped in a glowing white sheath, then compressed into a pulsing ball of light. Tendrils emerge from the ball, spiraling around it faster and faster until they abruptly stop, producing a shockwave that sends me stumbling backwards. Regaining my balance and my focus, I see that the ball of light is gone, replaced by a biggish canine with a coat of fur that’s mostly brown, but with a dark blue layer on its back; a Herdier, my brain tells me.  
  
“Kelly?”, I utter, approaching slowly, “Is that you?”  
  
“Yeah, it’s me.”, she replies, her voice less childish and squeaky than before, “Am I done now?”  
  
  
“Kelly!”, I exclaim, running at her with my arms beckoning her, “Holy crap! Damn, am I glad you’re OK. You had me worried there for a moment.”  
  
She leaps into my arms, now a lot heavier than I remember, sending me falling backwards. I hit the grass with a muffled thud, and Kelly’s on top of me,  alternating between nuzzling the side of my head and slapping her tongue all over my face in big swinging licks. Heh. Same old Kelly on the inside, I guess.  
  
“Pokemon evolution.”, Cheren muses, “Never seen it happen for real before. Kind of mesmerizing, actually.”  
  
“Well, that was quite something, wasn’t it?”, Audino remarks, “Now, who’s next? There’s more than enough of that to go around.”  
  
Cheren releases Roggenrola, and it toddles towards Audino, gazing upwards at her. Wait a minute, is it even gazing? It doesn’t seem to have any eyes, unless that hole in the middle of it is an eye. But it could be a mouth, or an ear, or a nose, or it could be its asshole, for all I know. I should ask Juniper about it. Audino repeats the experience-giving process on Roggenrola, and by the time it’s done, all the other Pokemon have noticed the commotion, and want to be part of it. Of course, they first notice Kelly.  
  
“Who are you and what have you done with Kelly?” Ryan yells, wagging a finger at her.  
  
“I’m not afraid of you, whoever you are!”, Alice boasts, her head raised in defiance.  
  
“Relax, guys!”, Kelly interrupts, “I’m still me. Just bigger. Oh, and stronger, too!”  
  
“I believe that our canine friend has undergone an evolution.”, Lewis notes.  
  
“How should you know, huh?”, Maria quips, spitting the last word.  
  
“I’ll have you know that I have witnessed many of my brethren undergo the process.”, he retorts.  
  
“Enough!”, I shout, “Kelly’s evolved, and that’s that. Now, do you rascals want some free levels or not?”  
  
“Free levels?”, Leonard questions, eagerly running up to Audino  
  
“Yes, dear,” she confirms, “Free levels.”  
  
Cheren’s Tepig, Purrloin and Pansage race down the hill, piling on to Audino.  
  
“Settle down now, little ones.”, Audino urges, waving her arms frantically, “You’ll all get your chance. Just be patient.”  
  
And so it goes: each Pokemon getting a surge of experience from Audino, although not as big as the one Kelly got. The only reason Kelly got such a big dose was because of how close she was to evolution. By the time everyone’s done, the sun is close to slipping below the horizon, Audino is wiping sweat from her brow, and all our stomachs grumble. We thank Audino for her services, and get to work on dinner.  
  
  
Since neither of us brought a camping stove, and you can’t cook anything except marshmallows over a campfire, we resort to stuff that doesn’t need cooking: Cheren’s enormous supply of granola bars. Seriously, he has, like, a fifty-pack of ‘em. They stay fresh for a while, I guess. Everyone’s happy to take a granola bar for dinner, except for Roggenrola, who eats rocks. Not even kidding. It just finds some tiny pebbles, walks over them, makes some grindy noises, and poof! No more pebbles. Its mouth must be on its underside, then, which rules out one of the things that that hole in its face might be. We don’t have any marshmallows to toast, but we set up a campfire anyway, for light, warmth and mood. You aren’t camping unless you’ve got a campfire. Clue’s in the name. Leonard understands the danger the fire poses to him, and chooses to perch on my shoulder. Pansage is less knowledgeable, and gets singed for it. We all share a laugh at his expense, until he shoots us a look that tells us we probably shouldn’t. Cheren doesn’t know any good ghost stories, but I know tons of ‘em, so I sit there, hands raised as if divining something from a crystal ball, scaring the shit out of everybody. Especially Leonard. I almost feel bad for him. Emphasis on ‘almost’. I tell story after story until we’re all fighting to keep our eyes open, at which point we retire to our tents and rapidly fall asleep.  
  
  
Cheren wakes me, grumbling about how I’m such a heavy sleeper.  
  
I’m not that heavy of a- wait, it’s TEN-THIRTY? Fucking hell.  
  
Heh. I guess yesterday was pretty tiring, and we did stay up pretty late. Honestly, I’m surprised Cheren managed to wake up so early. The Pokemon are all awake as well. I’m the last one up.  
  
“Sleepyhead!”, Alice enthuses, flying at my face, “Finally, you’re up.”  
  
“My lady”, Lewis notes, “I never knew you had such a penchant for slumber.”  
  
“Yeah,” I grumble, cracking my knuckles, “I sleep a lot. Get over it.”  
  
“Granola bar?”, Cheren asks, offering one to me.  
  
I accept reluctantly, muttering, “You think you could buy something other than granola bars for the next leg of the trip? Kinda getting sick of ‘em.”  
  
“I’ll consider it.”, he muses, “Anyway, get your tent packed up so we can get moving.”  
  
“You hear anything from Bianca?”, I ask between bites of granola bar.  
  
“I gave her a call after I woke up.”, he replies, gesturing with a hand, “She’s already in Nacrene, said we should meet up for lunch. Which will now be a late lunch, thanks to you.”  
  
I shrug, finishing my granola bar and shoving its wrapper in my bag, before getting on to taking down my tent. For me, this process is pretty much a reflex, so I get it done quickly, and without too much trouble. Once everything’s packed away, we leave our little campsite, which is in basically the same state we found it in. Ignore those scorch marks. They aren’t there. It’s just the light, honest!  
  
  
The walk to Nacrene is uneventful, and we reach the end of Route 3 by about one o’clock. We find Bianca sitting on a bench, tapping away at her phone.  
  
“Hey, guys!”, she exclaims, noticing us and practically leaping off the bench, “What took you so long?”  
  
Cheren answers, “Emily overslept.”  
  
“The usual, then.”, she remarks, facing me with her hands on her hips, “Em, you’re the only person I know who can oversleep in a tent.”  
  
She then catches sight of the new recruits.  
  
“Wow, you caught new Pokemon!”, she squeals, eyes wide, “Oh, they’re just so cute!”  
  
“Who’s she?”, Alice asks, fluttering over my head.  
  
“I should probably introduce you guys.”, I note, gesturing towards my Pokemon, “Bianca, this is Alice. The Drilbur, he’s Lewis.”  
  
“A pleasure to meet you, madam.”, says Lewis, smiling at her.  
  
“How’s it going?”, Alice adds, landing on Bianca’s shoulder, “I’m Alice, but you already knew that.”  
  
I interrupt, “She can’t understand you guys, remember?”  
  
Lewis shakes himself rapidly, “Gah! Sorry about that. In the heat of the moment, why, I completely forgot!”  
  
“Why can’t you just tell me what they’re saying?”, Bianca suggests as she pets Alice.  
  
Damn. Why didn’t I think of that?  
  
“I guess I could, couldn’t I?”, I remark, scratching my chin, “Yeah, well, they both say it’s great to meet you. Now, can we get moving? I’m hungry, an I’m banking on you having found somewhere we can have lunch.”  
  
“Holy crap!”, Bianca interrupts, now looking at Kelly, “Is that you Lillipup? Look how big she’s grown?”  
  
I sigh. This is gonna take a while, isn’t it?  
  
  
Surprisingly enough, we’re on our way within a few minutes, walking through Nacrene to the place Bianca’s selected for lunch. Nacrene is an odd city. It’s got a lot of factories and warehouses, but there’s no industry here. There used to be, back in the day, but now it’s all gone, with the old buildings being used instead as galleries, studios and cafes. Also, hipsters. Holy mother of fuck, the hipsters. They drink their artisanal coffee, they go to buy some vinyl records, and then they ride home on their wooden bikes. There’s a very different vibe here. While Striaton was upper-class, busy, and a little stuck-up, Nacrene’s got that laid-back, chilled feel. I like it. Striaton was too crowded for me. Here, I’ve actually got some room to breathe.  
  
Man, Bianca sure did pick a restaurant that was far away.  
  
Wait. Shit. What if it’s one of those vegan places? From what I’ve seen of the city, it’s certainly a possibility.  
  
“Bianca?”, I ask, tapping her on the shoulder.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“This place we’re going for lunch, it’s not one of those vegan restaurants, is it?”  
  
Bianca elbows me gently, a smile on her face.  
  
“Em, please. I’ve been your friend for long enough to know that attempting to feed you vegetables sends you into a blind rage, so I’ve chosen somewhere where I can order something interesting, and you can order a cheeseburger like the uncultured slob you are.”  
  
Cheren interjects, “I’m more concerned about whether or not the food there is too expensive. Our funds are far from infinite.”  
  
Bianca throws an arm around both of us, pulling us in.  
  
“Guys, chill out! Remember, I’m the only one here who actually knows how the real world works. I’ve thought this through. Trust me.”  
  
She releases Cheren and I from her grip, jogging a few feet ahead of us before turning around to beckon us forward.  
  
“Now, come on! The place is just up ahead. You two are gonna love it!”  
  
“Do we have to run?”, I remark dryly, my shoulders sagging, “Kinda carrying a huge-ass backpack here.”  
  
“Notion seconded.”, Cheren adds, weakly raising a hand.  
  
Bianca sighs “You guys and your walking. Buses exist, people, so use ‘em!”  
  
The restaurant Bianca picked out is honestly more of a cafe, with outdoor tables under umbrellas, a menu board with the names of various dishes scrawled in colorful chalk, and absurdly friendly staff. They’re almost too friendly, the overwhelming, sickly sweetness of chugging a whole can of Coke given human form. How do they keep this up all the time? Oh, well. At least they allow us to let our Pokemon out of their balls. Lewis snags the prime spot on my shoulder, and stares at my cheeseburger (Bianca’s assessment of me was perfectly accurate) with great interest.  
  
“My lady,” he queries, nudging me slightly, “what is this delectable dish we see before us?”  
  
“It’s a cheeseburger,” I reply, holding it up for him to see, “You take a beef patty, cheese, lettuce and tomato, stick ‘em in a bun, and boom! You’ve got the second-greatest food in the world.”  
  
“If I may ask, what would be number one?”  
  
“A _bacon_ cheeseburger.”, I enthuse.  
  
“I think Ser Cheren’s porcine companion would beg to differ!”, he remarks, pointing at Tepig.  
  
I stifle a laugh, on the basis that I’m in public, and I shouldn’t try to look insane.  
  
“Indeed”, I smirk,”Now, I’ve told you what I eat, so why don’t you tell me what makes your mouth water?”  
  
Lewis scratches his chin.  
  
“We Drilbur and Excadrill, we eat- ah, how do I say this?”, he ponders, “Ah, yes. I’d say we are fans of earthen edibles, the most scrumptious sediments, and the tastiest topsoils.”  
  
“So… dirt?”, I query.  
  
“Yes.”, Lewis grumbles in reply, shrugging, “We eat dirt. If you must put it that way. Dirt is plentiful, and contains numerous beneficial substances.”  
  
“Whaddya do for calories and stuff?”, I inquire, gently prodding his nose, “All the nutrients in the world aren’t gonna do squat if you haven’t got energy.”  
  
“Most of the plants in the cave are somewhat edible.”, he remarks.  
  
“Well, since we’ve ascertained that you can eat pretty much anything, want some cheeseburger?”  
  
“I would not be opposed to it.”, he replies, smiling.  
  
I break of a small chunk of meat and cheese, passing it to him. To say that Lewis annihilates it is to damn him with faint praise.  
  
“Why, this is the greatest thing I have ever consumed!”, he exclaims, throwing his hands up in the air, “Give me more of it, I beg of you!”  
  
I sigh, “You know, this is my burger, but I wasn’t gonna eat all of it anyway. Have another chunk. My treat.”  
  
I break off another piece, and he devours it just as quickly as the first.  
  
“Human food is much more delicious than Pokemon food.”, Lewis declares, waving his hands around excitedly, “I shall aspire to eat more of it in future!”  
  
“Well, right now, this human wants to eat her human food”, I remark, petting Lewis, “so calm down a little, okay?”  
  
Before I can start eating by cheeseburger, Bianca taps me on the shoulder.  
  
“So, do Drilbur really eat dirt?”, she asks, somewhat skeptical.  
  
“You better believe it, girl.”, I reply, chuckling, “Now, can people stop interrupting me so I can eat my damn cheeseburger?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally have our first evolution, and reach Nacrene City! I hope you're enjoying the run so far! 'Til next time.


	13. Chapter 12: The German

Chapter 12  
  
  
Man, Nacrene’s really nice. In Striaton, I felt swamped sometimes, surrounded by faceless clumps of people and deafened by senseless noise. Here, the people are spread thin, with the biggest clusters being the small audiences gathered by various buskers. I should mention the buskers. They’re great. It’s certainly not everywhere that you’ll find acoustic music as part of the ambient noise of the world around you. Sprawling murals adorn the walls of old buildings, with their pastel skies and blooming flowers replacing what was once emotionless and ugly. It blows my damn mind that a bunch of hippies managed to turn a drab, boring industrial city into a place that oozes energy and emotion from every orifice. Oh, and if you think I’m impressed, you haven’t seen Lewis and Alice. They’re fucking _mesmerized._ It’s a good thing Alice has a knack for finding me, because sometimes she just disappears, ducking into an alleyway or warehouse to see what secrets lie within. Lewis perches on my shoulder, soaking in the city’s sights and sounds, constantly pointing out things that impress him.  
  
“Why, this city is the most colorful place I have ever seen!”, he announces, wide-eyed, “Are all human cities this vibrant?”  
  
“Not really, no.”, I reply, shaking my head slightly, “This place is the exception, not the rule.”  
  
“Is it just me, or are these radiant hues making everyone’s eyes hurt?”, he continues.  
  
“ _Hermano_ , you’ve lived in a cave your whole life.”, Maria interjects, “I think it’s just you.”  
  
Lewis shoots a glare at her, muttering something under his breath.  
  
“Way to kill the mood, Maria.”, Kelly comments, sighing.  
  
“You act like I’m supposed to be nice.”, she retorts, spitting the last word.  
  
“You know, you could try not being a jerk.”, Leonard notes with a shrug, “It’s not difficult.”  
  
“Dude, it’s Maria.”, Ryan says, “There’s no fixing her.”  
  
“Everyone, cut it out!”, I holler, throwing my hands in the air, “We’re in a beautiful city, on a beautiful day, and all you guys can do is bitch at each other! Sweet Mew!”  
  
Cheren and Bianca are looking at me like I’ve grown a vagina on my forehead or something. The way I see it, either they get used to my schizophrenic blabbering, or I get used to these kinds of looks.  
  
“So, in conclusion”, I state, faking a goofy grin, “if some mad scientist ever offers to fuck around with your DNA so you can talk to Pokemon, for the sake of your sanity, just say no.”  
  
“Wow.”, Kelly remarks, “Such respect. Very friendship. Wow.”  
  
She headbutts my leg, giving me a scornful sideways glance as I stumble. Cheren grabs my arm to stop my fall, smiling awkwardly as I regain my footing.  
  
“Sorry.”, he mumbles, swiftly pulling his hand away from my arm.  
  
“Nothing wrong with helping.”, I reply, shrugging, “Thanks, by the way.”  
  
“No problem.”, he says, wringing his hands, “You should probably deal with your Herdier.”  
  
“Yeah. I should. You guys mind if I hang back for a bit? I’d rather this conversation be private.”  
  
“It’s fine.”, Bianca replies, “We’ll go on ahead. See you at the Pokemon Center!”  
  
  
I lead my team to a park bench, whereupon I start asking questions.  
  
“Kelly, what the hell is with you?”, I yell, hands balled into fists.  
  
“You think I meant to hit you that hard?”, she retorts, “I’ve got no clue how strong I am! You try waking up in the morning with a new body, see how that makes you feel!”  
  
“I know, I know, but you just haven’t been you.”, I comment, “You’re usually so kind and gentle.”  
  
“Not when you insult me and the whole team, I’m not!”, she shouts, pacing up and down, “Well, you probably weren’t insulting the whole team.”  
  
She scowls at Lewis.  
  
“I mean, you certainly weren’t mad at Golden Boy over there. I mean, look at him! He gets to ride on your shoulder, and eat your food, and talk to you all the time, and… he’s your new favorite, isn’t he? Not Leonard, your starter, or me, the first Pokemon you ever caught, but him. That stuck-up little so-and-so who only sort of saved your life is your favorite. I bet he’s not gonna get yelled at!”  
  
“How dare you insult me?”, Lewis snaps at her, waving a claw in Kelly’s face, “Have at thee!”  
  
“You act like you’d have a chance against me.”, Kelly remarks, inching closer, “You’re only strong because of that Audino. You haven’t fought in any real battles. Same goes for Birdbrain, by the way.”  
  
“Hey, don’t drag me into this!”, Alice yells from atop a streetlight.  
  
“I’m with Kelly on this one.”, Maria adds, slinking up beside her, “ _Pendejo’s_ only been with us for a day, hasn’t even proven himself in battle, yet Emily thinks he’s our Lord and friggin’ Savior! This is Tauros-shit!”  
  
“Guys, quit ganging up on Lewis!”, Ryan interrupts, spraying Kelly and Maria with water, “What did he do wrong? He doesn’t deserve this!”  
  
“Oh, so you’re on his side now.”, grumbles a sodden Kelly, “At least it’ll be a fair fight.”  
  
“To hell with that, _hermana_!”, Maria retorts, climbing on tot her canine comrade, “Alice, get down here! We need a third!”  
  
“A fight sounds fun and all”, Alice remarks, “but I don’t wanna get blood on my feathers. Anyway, it seems like you guys already have the upper hand, so, yeah.”  
  
“Screw you, Birdbrain!”, Maria shouts, flicking her tail in disgust.  
  
I’ve been so shocked by how quickly this has all gone to hell that I only now notice the almost catatonic Snivy curled up on my shoulder.  
  
“I’m scared, Emily.”, Leonard mumbles, “I don’t want my friends to fight each other.”  
  
“I don’t want that to happen either, buddy.”, I affirm, reaching for my bandolier, “That’s why everyone’s going back in their balls, now. I’ve had enough of this shit.”  
  
In the split second before Kelly gets sucked into her ball, the look in her eyes is one of pure fury.  
  
  
Leonard gets to stay on my shoulder. Leonard had no part to play in this. Leonard is alright.  
  
Honestly, alright is the wrong word. He’s still curled up in his little ball, sniffling between words. I feel bad for him. He’s so young, so innocent. He didn’t deserve to see the team at each other’s throats.  
  
We don’t deserve a lot of the things we get, do we?  
  
“You alright, Leonard?”, I ask, feeling him nuzzle my neck.  
  
“Not really.”, he replies, his words muffled.  
  
“Figures.”  
  
“Why do the others have to be so mad at each other?”, he mutters, uncurling enough to look up at me, “Especially Kelly. She used to be so nice.”  
  
“It’s probably just a phase.”, I answer, stroking his tiny head, “At least, I hope it’s a phase.”  
  
“So you’re saying she’ll get better?”  
  
I shrug slightly.  
  
“I’m saying I want her to get better.”  
  
The city doesn’t feel as alive after the argument. It’s like Leonard and I are in our own little bubble, isolated from the vibrant world outside. The unchanging, familiar architecture of the Pokemon Center is one hell of a relief. Of course, the Center isn’t entirely removed from the city outside, what with Nurse Joy wearing a denim jacket over her uniform and having her hair tied in a messy side ponytail instead of the usual pigtails, but that’s Nacrene for you. Always a little apart from the crowd. I don’t see Cheren and Bianca anywhere, so I approach her.  
  
“Hey!”, she calls, waving to me, “I haven’t seen you here before.”  
  
I lean on the counter.  
  
“Yeah. Doing the whole Trainer shebang, challenging Gyms and all that. Hey, I got a question about one of my Pokemon.”  
  
“Hit me.”  
  
“My Herdier, she’s been acting all aggressive lately. She’s normally really gentle, and the aggression’s kinda scaring me.”  
  
“Huh. Let me think.”  
  
She taps her fingers on the counter.  
  
“Question: did your Herdier evolve recently?”  
  
“As a matter of fact, yes. Just last night.”  
  
“In that case, I may have an answer for you.”  
  
I sigh, clasping my hands together.  
  
“What’s the bad news.”  
  
“It’s not as bad as you think, actually. She’s probably experiencing post-evolutionary stress.”  
  
“Can’t say I’ve heard of it.”  
  
“Which is why you should let me finish.”, she tuts, “Anyway, PES is a common side effect of Pokemon evolution. After the initial shock of evolution wears off, many Pokemon find themselves uncomfortable in their new forms. This discomfort leads to stress and anger. If you want it to go away, you just gotta wait for the Pokemon to get acclimatized to its new body. Your Herdier will be fine in a day or so, although having her fight in battles will speed up the acclimatization process.”  
  
“Well, that’s a relief.”  
  
I’ve spent pretty much our entire conversation staring at her hair (which is so ridiculous, it’s actually kinda cool), but only now does she notice.  
  
“The look.”, she grumbles, playing with her hair, “Newcomers always ask about the look.”  
  
I stay silent. I mean, I _wanted_ to ask, I just wasn’t sure how to phrase my question without sounding like an asshole.  
  
“It’s kind of a tradition around here.”, she continues, “Us Nacrenites, we like to break the mold. Even the Nurse Joys. Individuality is the name of the game here. Also, the normal uniform makes you look like you’re nine years old.”  
  
“True that.”, I remark.  
  
“I mean, seriously, who designed that shit?”, she complains, pacing back and forth, “Some pervy old Kantoan man with a damn nurse fetish? And why does nobody complain about it? It’s ridiculous!”  
  
She sighs, throwing her hands up in resignation.  
  
“Feminism is dead, kiddo.”  
  
 _Well, that escalated quickly._ Also, this place is basically Tumblr incarnate. _Lovely._  
  
She takes a moment to catch her breath.  
  
“Sorry about that, girl. I can get a little… passionate sometimes. Anyway, all the nurses here add their own personal touch to the uniform. Lenora’s cool with it. She’s got bigger things to worry about than us, like her secret stash of ancient, priceless and incredibly powerful artifacts!”  
  
“What?”  
  
She claps a hand over her mouth.  
  
“Thaaaaaaat definitely does not exist should you happen to be affiliated with any criminal or terrorist organizations oh and also if anyone asks I never said anything because I really don’t wanna lose my job!”  
  
I take a few steps back.  
  
“Well, I’m definitely not a terrorist, so… your secret’s safe with me, I guess.”  
  
“That sounds like something a terrorist would say!”  
  
“Can you stop being paranoid and heal my Pokemon? Whatever kind of moment we were having, it’s sure as hell over now.”  
  
I hand her my Poke Balls, and she mutters to herself about her idiocy as she puts them in the healing machine.  
  
“Here you go, kid.”, she grumbles, handing back my team, “All happy and healthy. Thanks for using the damn Pokemon Center.”  
  
  
Cheren sits alone at a table in a corner, thumbing through a magazine.  
  
“Hi, Cheren.”, I say, unceremoniously dumping my bag on the ground and taking a seat.  
  
He looks up from his magazine, “Hey, Em. How’s it going?”  
  
“Well, Kelly’s gonna get better, which is a start. Wait, where’s Bianca?”  
  
“She kinda ran off. Got tired of waiting for you, wanted to look around the city some more. I tried to stop her, but…”  
  
He shrugs.  
  
“That’s Bianca for you.”, I remark, “Hyperactive, impatient - nope, not straying from the norm at all.”  
  
“I stuck around, of course”, he continues, looking quite satisfied with himself, “being the good friend that I am. Anyway, now that you’re here, we can do stuff. You got anything in mind?”  
  
“I was thinking of heading out west, seeing if I could catch any more Pokemon.”  
  
“Bummer. I was thinking about checking out the Gym, and I was kinda hoping you’d come with me. Also, don’t you already have a team of six.”  
  
“Maria doesn’t count.”  
  
He slams his hands on the table.  
  
“I’m telling you, don’t diss Purrloin! You just don’t get it!”  
  
“What’s there to get?”, I retort, “She’s a Dark-type with no Dark moves, and she’s as frail as a damn Kleenex.”  
  
“How about we agree to disagree?”  
  
“Good idea. Alright. You do your thing, and I’ll do mine. We’ll meet back here at seven or something. Sound cool?”  
  
“Works for me.”  
  
We grab our stuff and head out, going off in opposite directions once we leave the Center. Leonard sits on my shoulder, as usual. Leonard’s nice. More Pokemon should be like Leonard.  
  
  
“Guten tag, young miss! I am Wolfgang the Tympole, and I hail from the proud nation of Deutschland!”  
  
This is not what I asked for.  
  
Firstly, how? How did this tiny little bastard get all the way from Germany to this murky pond on the edge of Pinwheel Forest? How does he already have a name? I’ve seen a lot of weird shit lately that I’ve just kinda brushed off, but this is pushing it. I came here expecting to catch some cute little forest creature, not this slimy little blob who thought it would be funny if I got dirty water on my jeans!  
  
“Oh, right.”, he continues, “You probably can’t understand a word I’m saying. Apologies.”  
  
“No, no, I can understand you just fine”, I retort, eyeing him disdainfully, “I just don’t- what the hell is with you?”  
  
His cheeks flush.  
  
“Oh, dreadfully sorry. Since I startled you _und_ got water on your clothes, I really ought to explain myself.”  
  
“You’re damn right.”, I grumble, tapping my foot, “You’ve got a lot of explaining to do, Fritz.”  
  
“First of all, my name is not Fritz, it is Woflgang!”, he snaps, “Something I should probably explain, in all honesty. You see, in Germany, many Pokemon are quite progressive. We give each individual their own name, und there are basic social structures in place. We yearn for the day when the societies of humans _und_ Pokemon can be truly united! Unfortunately, most humans have quite the language barrier to overcome.”  
  
“Not me, though.”, I remark.  
  
“ _Ja_ , and how happy this makes me!”, he enthuses, rolling from side to side, “Oh, I would jump for joy- if I were capable of such a feat.”  
  
“Yeah. You seem to have a bit of a limb deficiency there.”  
  
“ _Ja, ja_ , but I do not allow it to bother me.”  
  
“Cool. Awesome. Groovy.”, I utter dryly, “Keep talking, bucko. Still gotta figure out how you got all the way from Germany to here, not to mention why.”  
  
“I was just getting to that.”, he remarks, “You see, from a very young age, I recognized that the only way a Pokemon could live a half-decent life was to join the team of a Trainer. Unfortunately, Pokemon battling is not very widespread in Germany, so my best option was to leave home _und_ travel to a place with a proper Pokemon League.”  
  
“If you wanted to go somewhere with a League, why not Kalos?”, I ask, “It would have been a lot easier than-“  
  
Wolfgang looks at me like I just mentioned a particularly nasty ex-girlfriend.  
  
“Nein! I would never even think about working with one of those cheese-eating plebeians! Unova was my best option.”  
  
“But didn’t we thrash you guys in two wars?”, I comment.  
  
“Mostly irrelevant. Many decades have passed since the fall of the Nazis. _Mein_ grandfather told me the stories. I harbor no disrespect for Unovans.”  
  
He slaps himself with his tail.  
  
“Gah! I’m going off topic again! Apologies. Anyway, I hitched a ride one the back of a particularly large Wailord. Once I had made myself known to her, she was happy to aid me on _mein_ quest. Once she deposited me off the coast, I tried to reach Castelia City, but got slightly lost, _und_ ended up here. Where is here, anyway? I’m not entirely sure.”  
  
I grin, cracking my knuckles.  
  
“Werr, you appear to have got vely sidetrack! Konichiwa! Werrcome to Kanto!”  
  
“I have no time for your jokes, Unovan.”, he spits, splashing more water at me, “Tell me where I am, or prepare for a soaking!”  
  
“Fine, fine, fine.”, I mutter, “Damn Germans. No sense of humor. Anyway, if you must know, you’re in Pinwheel Forest, just outside Nacrene City.”  
  
“Curses! In that case, you must take me to Castelia as quickly as possible! Only there will I find a strong Trainer to join forces with!”  
  
“Emily’s a trainer.”, Leonard interjects, clambering down to the ground and facing Wolfgang, “You could join us if you want, since you’re the first Pokemon we’ve found here. Before you ask, that’s just the way Emily does things. She’s a little weird.”  
  
Wolfgang rolls around for a few seconds, sizing us up.  
  
“Emily - _ja_ , that must be your name, young miss!”, he exclaims, rocking from side to side, “ _Und_ this little snake says that you are a Trainer!”  
  
I sit down on the grass, picking Leonard up and cradling him in my arms.  
  
“I am, indeed, a trainer. Also, this little guy is Leonard. He’s a Snivy. Call him what he is.”  
  
Wolfgang rolls forward a little.  
  
“My apologies. I am not familiar with some of Unova’s native Pokemon. Anyway, despite the fact that you have been rather rude to me, _und_ that you style yourself like a young German man-“  
  
“That isn’t a compliment, is it?”, I interrupt, prodding him gently,  
  
“ _Nein_. Not at all. So, I have decided that it is in my best interest to come with you.”  
  
“Awesome!”, Leonard whoops, leaping into the air, “Everyone else is gonna love you! We’re all gonna be great friends!”  
  
“ _Mein Arceus_.”, Wolfgang mutters, “What did I do to deserve this?”  
  
  
“Where’d he go?”, Leonard squeaks, waving his tiny arms frantically. The space once occupied by Wolfgang is now empty, the little bastard having disappeared into thin air upon capture, Poke Ball and all.  
  
I gently stroke his head.  
  
“Relax, buddy. He’s just been sent to storage. We already had six team members, the maximum a Trainer’s allowed to have. Wolfgang was our seventh, so he couldn’t come with us. We can get him back at the Pokemon Center.”  
  
Leonard gives me a small frown.  
  
“You say that like he’s going to replace someone.”, he remarks, “Were you thinking about it like that?”  
  
 _Dammit, Leonard? Why do you have to put me on the spot like this? If I name any names, I’m gonna sound like a dick. I might hurt Leonard’s feel- why? Why do I care?_  
  
 _Damn you, my adorable, innocent snake child. Damn you for making me care._  
  
“You were thinking about Maria, weren’t you?”, he interjects.  
  
“N-no!”, I snap, rather flustered, “Not at all! Team’s perfect, team’s absolutely peachy.”  
  
“I know how you feel about Maria”, Leonard says calmly, “and as much as I try to like everyone on the team, I’m inclined to agree. She can be kind of a jerk sometimes. She isn’t the strongest in battle, either.”  
  
I shoot him an uneasy look.  
  
“So… you wouldn’t be mad at me if I replaced Maria with Wolfgang?”  
  
“Well, Wolfgang’s kind of a jerk too, but at least he looks like a strong jerk.”  
  
“Alright. Let’s head back into town.”  
  
The outer area of Pinwheel lacks the tree density of the main forest. Calling this place a forest is overselling it, honestly. It’s a mess of scattered trees and grass, with boulders strewn about the place and an old, overgrown railroad line running through it. I try to keep my head down as much as possible, both to avoid the eye contact of several trainers I don’t feel like fighting right now, and to keep an eye on Leonard, who is loving this. He looks so at ease here, surging through the grass and slithering over tree roots. I struggle to keep up at some points, but he always makes sure I don’t get left behind, even when he veers off the main path, following some sixth sense. He leads the way into a clearing. The clearing is small, its edge formed by a ring of towering oaks, and its floor covered in leaves. Leonard bounces around the clearing, digging furiously through piles of leaves.  
  
“Found it!”, he announces triumphantly, raising a large, faintly glowing seed over his head.  
  
“Found what?”, I query, “Whatever it is, it had better be worth you dragging me all the way out here.”  
  
“I dunno.”, he admits sheepishly, lowering the seed, “I’m sorry, I just- I felt it. I don’t know what it’s supposed to be, but I felt its presence, and now that I’ve got it, I’m feeling really good! Can I keep it?”  
  
“Well, I guess there’s no harm in you hanging on to it.”, I reply, absentmindedly kicking a few leaves away, “Tomorrow, we’re gonna go see Lenora. She’s an expert on weird artifacts and stuff. She might know something about it.”  
  
“Cool! Let’s get outta here before it gets dark. I don’t like the sound of a dark, scary forest. It’d be dark! And scary! And dark!”  
  
 _Leonard, you are so cute._  
  
  
Cheren, Bianca and I reconvene at the Center. It’s very normal by this point. We eat some noodles. Bianca gives us some berries she bought at a farmer’s market: a single Lum for Cheren, and a bag of Chesto for me. Cheren enthuses endlessly about the Nacrene Museum and Lenora. I head away from the table, setting down in front of the PC for the inevitable argument with Maria.   
  
“Whaddya want, _puta_?”, she hisses.  
  
“Well, I was just wondering if-“  
  
She taps the PC.  
  
“You wanted to talk about stickin’ me in this thing, didn’t ya?”  
  
“Um, well, yeah, I-“  
  
“Friggin’ finally!”  
  
“You wanted to go in there?”  
  
“I dunno. ‘Didn’t want to die’ and ‘kinda hated your guts’ would be more accurate. Let’s just get this over with, shall we?”  
  
I shrug, returning her to her ball and placing it on the teleport pad. A few menus later, the world’s most irritating Purrloin is safely stowed in cyberspace. A few more menus, and Ze German is withdrawn.  
  
“Oh, thank the heavens!”, Wolfgang exclaims upon his release, “I am finally free of that infernal computer! I was so lonely in there, apart from the last few seconds, during which time a very agitated feline joined me. Not exactly the best companion.”  
  
“Yeah, that was Maria.”, I explain, “Don’t worry, she’ll probably be in there forever.”  
  
“You are not fond of her, no?”  
  
I nod.  
  
“Anyway, you’ve already met Leonard.”  
  
“Hi, Wolfgang.”, Leonard adds.  
  
“Now, it’s time to meet everyone else. Let’s go somewhere more private.”  
  
The nurse from earlier is just leaving. She tosses me a room key and notes it down before leaving. I head upstairs to this journey’s second dingy Pokemon Center room, now with special features like Broken TV and Large Unidentifiable Bed Stain!  
  
Ehh. It’s a place to rest my head. Nothing more. Wasn’t expecting a five-star hotel room anyway.  
  
I set the team free, with the exception of Wolfgang, and call a meeting. Nobody looks all too happy about having been in their balls all afternoon.  
  
“Alright, guys.”, I announce, hushing the mutterings of my team, “I’ve got an announcement to make. Maria has been replaced.”  
  
Ryan whoops, and Lewis grins.  
  
“Now, in her place, we have a new team member. Everyone, meet Wolfgang.”  
  
I toss his Poke Ball with a flourish, and the little blob materializes in front of the team.  
  
“ _Guten tag_ , new acquaintances.”, he says dryly, “I am Wolfgang.”  
  
Alice can’t contain her laughter, “He’s a blob!”  
  
“Huh. New blood.”, Kelly mutters.  
  
“Another Water-type?”, Ryan remarks, “You’ve already got me!”  
  
“How good of Lady Emily to acquire another creature who could annihilate me in an instant.”, Lewis complains.  
  
“Well, it seems like y’all are gonna be the best of friends, aren’t ya?”, I grumble, taking off my jacket and collapsing on to the bed, “You guys have your fun, but keep it down. I’ve had a hell of a day, and I need some friggin’ sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We continue our stay in Nacrene, and meet an eccentric new teammate! 'Til next time!


	14. Chapter 13: Accidents Happen

**Chapter 13**  
  
  
“Emily, wake up!”, Kelly hollers, “Lewis and Wolfgang set the kitchen on fire!”  
  
  
 _Well, ain’t that a wake-up call and a half?_  
  
  
“I know you’re just trying to get the others in trouble, Kelly.”, I grumble, not rising from the bed, “Let me sleep.”  
  
  
“Fine.”, she spits, “Burn to death. I don’t care.”  
  
  
 _She can not be serious._  
  
  
I sit up, casting my gaze towards the kitchenette in the corner of the room. Where there is a very smoky fire.  
  
  
And a large pile of leaves (which is contributing to the whole fire part)  
  
  
And a chipped ceramic mug balanced precariously on the stove.  
  
  
And Lewis and Wolfgang, who have simultaneously realized that I’m awake.  
  
  
They rapidly turn to face each other, both exclaiming “It was **his** fault!”  
  
  
 _I have so many questions right now._  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Wolfgang, you imbecile!”, Lewis bellows, waving his hands around, “Don’t just sit there, put the damn fire out!”  
  
  
“You’re going to have to turn the gas off first, you know!”, Wolfgang retorts.  
  
  
“That would involve going through the fire! You’re a Water-type, you do it!”  
  
  
“I have no hands, _Dummkopf_!”  
  
  
“Get the monkey to do it, then!”  
  
  
“I already took the batteries out of the smoke alarm for you guys!”, Ryan interjects, “I’m not helping any more.”  
  
  
 _I’m sorry,_ ** _WHAT?_**  
  
  
“Kelly, what the hell is going on?”, I shout, scrambling out of bed.  
  
  
“It’s a really long story.”, she replies, curling up on the floor, “Of course, I’m completely innocent. So’s Leonard. Alice was in on it, though.”  
  
  
“I was not!”, Alice complains loudly.  
  
  
I hear a howl of pain from Lewis, and look over to see the rapidly propagating fire scorching him as he tries to turn off the stove.  
  
  
“As I am immolated by the flames of remorse”, he utters through clenched teeth, “I would like to say that, in truth, Lady Alice was in on it!”  
  
  
“Just turn the damn knob!”, Wolfgang bellows, unleashing a blast of water towards the fire, “We’ll worry about putting you out later!”  
  
  
Lewis, wincing in pain, twists the knob, which allows Wolfgang to actually make some progress in putting out the fire. Lewis is still burning, though, any words he might want to say reduced to incoherent howls of pain.  
  
  
“Hang in there, Lewis.”, I reassure, “I’m pretty sure there’s some burn medicine in my pack.”  
  
  
“I could put him out, you know.”, Wolfgang offers, having mostly dealt with the fire.  
  
  
“That sounds like it’d kill him!”, Leonard retorts.  
  
  
“It matters not!”, a red-faced Wolfgang snaps, “I know what I’m doing! I always have! Who are you to question my judgement?”  
  
  
Leonard retreats into a corner, sniffling, holding back tears.  
  
  
“I- I don’t know.”, he admits meekly, “Why are you so mean, Wolfgang?”  
  
  
“Wow, Leonard.”, Kelly remarks, “Way to be intimidating, am I right?”  
  
  
“You’re not helping, Kelly!”, he wails, softly crying into his chest.  
  
  
 _I’m not even going to say anything._  
  
  
 _I don’t fucking care any more._  
  
  
 _Ah, yes, here’s the burn medicine. Hope it works._  
  
  
 _How the hell does green liquid come out of a spray bottle and turn into fire extinguisher foam?_  
  
  
 _Screw it. I won’t question it. I’m past questioning anything._  
  
  
 _Yes! It’s working!_  
  
  
 _Alright, now that Lewis is no longer in pain, he should be able to tell me how this all happened._  
  
  
“Yes, yes! Many thanks, milady!”, Lewis enthuses, brushing some foam off his nose, “If it hadn’t been for your aid, I would surely have been a goner!”  
  
  
“Don’t give me that crap.”, I grumble, tossing the spray bottle aside, “Tell me what happened here.”  
  
  
“Firstly, don’t walk forward.”, he warns me, “Not one inch. Not unless you want to step on broken ceramic.”  
  
  
He’s right. At my feet are what appear to be the remains of a ceramic mug. _The plot thickens._  
  
  
“Enough about the now, let’s talk about how we got here.”, Wolfgang interrupts, “It all started when this buffoon”, he flicks his tail at Lewis, “woke us up at some unholy hour because he had decided that we should make tea for you, in order to surprise you when you woke up.”  
  
  
“In theory, it was brilliant.”, Lewis interjects.  
  
  
“Quiet, fool!”, Wolfgang yells with reddened cheeks, “Anyway, I told him that we should make coffee instead, as that would do a far better job of waking you up. We argued for quite some time until coming to an agreement that we should make both.”  
  
  
“Agreement?”, Kelly grumbles, “Yeah, right. What happened is that those two wouldn’t shut up, and it was really annoying, so I growled at ‘em until they figured out how to get along. We were making a lot of noise, let me tell you.”  
  
  
“It’s a good thing you sleep like a rock, Emily.”, Alice adds, perching on top of the kitchenette, observing us.  
  
  
“If I may speak.”, Lewis remarks, shuffling forward, “Once we had resolved that crisis, we needed to gather the necessary materials. Water was available courtesy of Wolfgang, and suitable receptacles for our beverages”, he gestures towards the scorched mug, “were to be found in this very room! From the wealth of information I had gathered over the course of my existence, I remembered that one needs leaves if they are to make tea, and Wolfgang insisted that he needed beans for his idiotic coffee. Sir Leonard refused to produce leaves for us, and we lacked an immediate source of beans, so we sent Alice into the night to acquire what was needed.”  
  
  
“I like to think I did a good job!”, Alice chirps, swooping over my head, “Especially with the leaves. Those were tough to carry.”  
  
  
“Okay, so that explains the leaves.”, I comment, pointing at the few that weren’t incinerated, “Which seem to me like they were regular leaves, not tea leaves.”  
  
  
“An- an easy mistake to make, milady!”, Lewis retorts rapidly, retreating towards the wall.  
  
  
“Now, based on that, I’m assuming you screwed up the beans too.”  
  
  
Wolfgang awkwardly glances at an open packet of green beans.  
  
  
“I don’t know what I expected, frankly.”, I mutter, scratching my chin.  
  
  
“ _Und_ then-“, Wolfgang says.  
  
  
“Say no more!”, I shout, waving my arms around, “Nothing! No more words! Nada! I’ve managed to piece the rest of this together, and I’ve concluded that you guys are fucking insane!”  
  
  
 _It’s true. I figured it out. After they got the leaves and the beans, they tried to make tea and coffee, but Wolfgang, having no friggin’ hands, dropped the coffee mug on the floor. They started to make the tea, and Ryan had the bright idea of disabling the_ ** _FUCKING SMOKE ALARM_** _so they wouldn’t wake me up if they set anything on fire._  
  
  
 _Fuuuuuck. And I thought I was the crazy one._  
  
  
Someone evidently decided that this was the perfect time to knock the door.  
  
  
“Gimme a second!”, I holler, hastily pulling on a shirt.  
  
  
I open the door to find Bianca standing there in a fluffy pink dressing gown, because _leave it to Bianca to pack one of those._  
  
  
“Emily, what’s going on?”, she asks, “I heard you yelling and- holy heck! What happened to your kitchen?”  
  
  
“”I’ll tell you when I’ve got some clothes on and some coffee in my system.”, I reply gruffly, noticing that my shirt is inside out.  
  
  
“I could have made you coffee!”, Wolfgang remarks.  
  
  
“Shut the hell up, Wolfgang.”, I moan, not even turning to face him.  
  
  
“So, your Pokemon did something stupid and you’re mad at them.”, Bianca comments, hands on hips, “I swear, it’s the same thing every day with you, girl. Anyway, I was thinking about checking out the Gym today.”  
  
  
“Again, clothes and coffee.”, I grumble, slouching slightly, “Then I’ll be sane enough to talk. I’ll see you downstairs in an hour or something. ‘Kay?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“-and then Kelly woke me up, because Lewis and Wolfgang had set the kitchen on fire!”  
  
  
“You’re kidding.”, Bianca utters, looking at me disbelievingly, “That did not happen. None of that was real.”  
  
  
“How else do you explain the burnt-ass kitchenette?”, I retort confidently.  
  
  
“You do have a point there, but I still don’t understand how Pokemon could figure out how to do any of that.”, she says,  
  
  
“They’re more intelligent than you think, Bianca, although I have to admit, they apply their intelligence in some friggin’ weird ways.”  
  
  
Bianca glances down at her phone, then stops and erupts into laughter. I look over to her.  
  
  
“Sorry.”, she says between laughs, “I just… I just fully absorbed your story, and now I need a moment. Anyway, the museum’s just up ahead, so-“  
  
  
She bursts into another laughing fit. I can’t blame her. It is a pretty funny story when you aren’t the protagonist. I let her have her moment, then we continue on to the Nacrene Pokemon Museum and Gym. From the outside, it’s a majestic thing, all pillars and granite, straight out of ancient Greece. It wouldn’t look out of place in the hills above Athens.  
  
  
It must have cost a fortune to build.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The inside of the museum is just as epic as the outside, with massive stone pillars and a giant bipedal skeleton dominating the lobby. I’m not sure what it’s from, but it’s awesome. The place is pretty much free of people, but a black-haired man with a mustache wearing a lab coat and holding a clipboard is clearly very excited to see us.  
  
  
“Hello, children!”, he enthuses, waving his hands around, “Ah, it’s so good to see people like you so eager to learn about Pokemon? Or are you just here to see my wife?”  
  
  
“Your wife.”, I reply quizzically, “I don’t follow.”  
  
  
“Oh, sorry. I haven’t even introduced myself.”, the man says, ruffling his hair, “I am Dr. Edward Hawes, curator of this fine museum, and husband to Lenora Hawes, Nacrene City’s gym leader.”  
  
  
“Dr Hawes…” Bianca mutters, “Cheren mentioned you, didn’t he?”  
  
  
“Cheren.”, Hawes muses, scratching his chin, “The name rings a bell.”  
  
  
I interject, “Black hair, blue eyes, about _this_ tall, glasses, **really** enthusiastic? Am I making sense here?”  
  
  
“Ah, yes, yes. I remember him! He came here yesterday. He seemed to greatly enjoy himself. Are you two friends of his?”  
  
  
“Yes, we are.”, Bianca replies, “We’re all on a journey with our Pokemon, you see.”  
  
  
“Indeed. Anyway, the museum doesn’t actually open for a little while, but since I’ve got nothing better to do, I could give you the tour, and arrange a meeting with Lenora. It’s up to you whether you want to, of course.”  
  
  
“Will you explain the giant skeleton on the tour?”, I query, hands on hips.  
  
  
“Why, of course! It’s our third-best exhibit!”, Hawes replies excitedly.  
  
  
“Implying there are two better exhibits than the skeleton?”, Bianca adds skeptically.  
  
  
“Oh, just you wait and see.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
From this point onwards, I will be unimpressed with every museum I visit for the rest of my life. I’ve never visited a museum before this one, and it set the bar pretty high. First, the skeleton. Turns out it comes from a huge Tyrantrum that lived a hundred million years ago. Back then, even the regular-sized ones were top-class predators, so the giant one must have been insanely destructive. Hawes wanted to save the second-best exhibit for later, so we got to see some cool artifacts, like a prototype Poke Ball from the 1920s and some Native Unovan artwork depicting three legendary Pokemon known as the Swords of Justice, which is the Best Name For Anything Ever. Then, we got to see the Second Best Exhibit. The armed guard scared Bianca with his mere presence, but my curiosity was piqued.  
  
  
 **HOLY SHIT. REAL, LIVE DINOSAURS.**  
  
  
The fact that they were kind of lame as dinosaurs go was irrelevant. Two strange, tentacled creatures residing in a tank of water, suckered on to rocks. I didn’t try talking to them, but I’m not sure they would have even understood me. Hawes said they were still Pokemon, but they were so different from anything I’d ever heard of. I suppose that they all went extinct, so nothing developed from them. Bianca had her Pokedex on her, and it had a bit of a fit when she scanned one of the little guys. Something about incomplete data, which makes sense. They’re called Lileep. They seemed fairly docile, so I doubt the guard was necessary. The museum probably hired him prematurely in case they revived anything more dangerous. Right now, Hawes is about to show us the Best Exhibit, but I’m not sure how one tops living dinosaurs.  
  
  
“Right this way, you two.”, he says, leading us into a secluded room. We push through a curtain embroidered with intricate patterns, and are bathed in a soft blue glow.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
On visuals alone, this is already impressive. The room is dimly lit, and in the center is the main attraction. A grapefruit-sized white orb sits suspended in glass and lit by blue lights, covered in intricate engravings that snake across its surface like veins. It shimmers under the light, almost seeming to glow.  
  
  
“This, young ladies, is the Light Stone.”, Hawes announces with a flourish, “When I met your friend yesterday, the museum was too busy for me to show it to him, but now you have it all to yourself.”  
  
  
“It’s beautiful.”, Bianca utters, mesmerized.  
  
  
“Where did it come from?”, I ask, needing to know more.  
  
  
“This is the good part. The stone, you see, is a vessel. Specifically, a vessel for the Legendary Dragon of Truth, the Furious Firestorm, the Vast White Pokemon, _Reshiram_.”  
  
  
“You’re saying that this stone contains a legendary dragon?”, I query.  
  
  
 _He can’t be serious._  
  
  
“Exactly. We’re not sure on the specifics, and we probably never will be, but what we do know is that the stone contains, to use a rather unscientific term, Reshiram’s soul, a sort of blueprint for its physical form, and the Infinity Energy needed to construct said form.”  
  
  
 _He’s dead serious._  
  
  
“Wait.”, Bianca comments, “If the dragon’s in there, can you get it out?”  
  
  
“That’s the thing.”, Hawes replies, “Nobody knows how to get the dragon out. There are stories from the past of certain people, some would call them heroes, who could return Reshiram to its original form, but those are just that: stories. Now, if I may continue, legend has it that the Light Stone was created 3000 years ago, in the aftermath of a great war that almost completely destroyed the technologically advanced Ancient Unovan nation. The war was fought between two brothers. One controlled Reshiram, and the other controlled its counterpart, Zekrom. Before Unova was entirely destroyed, the two dragons were sealed into stones, so that nobody could ever use their destructive powers again. As such, there exists an antithesis to the Light Stone: the Dark Stone. Unfortunately, its location is unknown.”  
  
  
“ _Holy hell._ ”, I whisper, stroking the glass, “That stone. It’s not the real one, is it?”  
  
  
“No. This is the one we show to the museum goers. It’s almost an exact replica. We used to own the real one, but we sold it a couple of years ago to pay for renovations, and so that the person who bought it could keep it safe.”  
  
  
“Whoever bought it must be really rich.”, Bianca notes, still staring at the stone, still transfixed.  
  
  
“I’m not at liberty to tell you who the lucky buyer was”, Hawes replies, “but I can confirm that they are, indeed, very rich.”  
  
  
“I suppose that’s the tour, then?”, I say, taking one last look at the stone. Bianca’s right. It really is beautiful.  
  
  
“Well, anything else after this would be an anticlimax, wouldn’t it?”, Hawes remarks wryly, “If you want to meet Lenora, the gym is upstairs. Anyway, the museum’s opening very soon, so I should get going.”  
  
  
“Thanks, Dr. Hawes!”, we chorus.  
  
  
“Oh, it was my pleasure!”, he replies, waving goodbye.  
  
  
Once he’s out of earshot, the two of us become very enthusiastic.  
  
  
“Holy shit, girl!”, I yell, waving my arms in front of me, “Was that awesome or was that awesome?”  
  
  
“The Lileep!”, Bianca squeals, “The freaking Lileep? And the giant Tyrantrum skeleton, oh, and don’t even get me started on the Light Stone!”  
  
  
“You bet your ass I’m getting you started! Legendary dragons? Incredible!”  
  
  
“I am so going back and taking pictures of everything!”  
  
  
“You gotta send those to me, girl! I need to go see Lenora right now!”  
  
  
“You do that, girl.”, Bianca says, calming down, “You do that.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Hello, young lady!”, the man at the Gym entrance chortles, “I’m Neil, the Nacrene Normal-type Gym Guide! Have some fresh water!”  
  
  
He hands me a bottle.  
  
  
“Are you here for a battle with Lenora, or just a meeting?”  
  
  
“A meeting, thanks.”, I reply, “I have no doubts that Lenora would kick my ass with my team in its current state. Anyway, I don’t even have my team on me.”  
  
  
I feel around in my pockets. _Good. I brought Leonard’s special seed. That was basically half the reason I wanted to see Lenora._  
  
  
“Let me see your trainer card.”, he requests. I hand it over, and he scans it.  
  
  
“Alright.”, Neil says, returning my card, “Everything checks out. Just take a seat over there, and I’ll get Lenora for you.”  
  
  
I sit down in a large brown armchair, and Neil talks on a radio. A minute or two later, a black woman with striking teal hair walks out from behind a bookcase. She pauses for a few seconds, eyeing me up.  
  
  
 _What is she doing?_  
  
  
She speaks, “Huh. Physical appearance matches up, and judging by the way she’s holding herself, so does the attitude. Ha! You must be the girl who gave my boy Chilli an ass-kicking. You really put the fear in his eyes, you know that, kid?”  
  
  
“Your boy?”, I utter, puzzled.  
  
  
“Yes.”, she replies calmly, “Chilli, Cress and Cilan are my sons, and I, Lenora, am their mother. Your name’s Emily, right? Got Nuzlocke?”  
  
  
“So Chill did tell the Gym Leaders everything.”, I muse, scratching my chin.  
  
  
“Sure he did.”, Lenora confirms, seating herself, “We don’t get a lot of kids with Nuzlocke on the Gym circuit. You’ve got a lot of nerve, doing what you’re doing.”  
  
  
“Huh. A variation on the usual “you’re crazy” statement.”  
  
  
“I suppose so. Anyway, what can I do for you?”  
  
  
“Not much, I suppose. There is one thing, though.”  
  
  
I fish the seed out of my pocket and hand it to her. It feels weird in my hands, like it’s sending out shivers.  
  
  
“My Snivy found this seed out in Pinwheel Forest.”, i explain, handing it to her, “He seemed to really be drawn to it. He homed in on it from really far away. Do you have any idea what it is?”  
  
  
Lenora turns it over in her hand a few times.  
  
  
“Hmm. Tingly.”, she comments, placing it down, “You should feel the tingling more than most. That’s due to the Nuzlocke. More Infinity Energy in your system, you know?”  
  
  
“No, can’t say I did.”, I admit sheepishly, “I do feel a fair bit of tingling, though. What does Infinity Energy have to do with anything?”  
  
  
“A whole lot, judging by your description. If what you’re saying is true, then this object is an Infinity focus, probably a Grass-type one.”  
  
  
“Can’t say I’m familiar with the concept.”, I remark.  
  
  
“An Infinity focus affects moves of a certain type. By acting as a focus for a Pokemon’s Infinity Energy, hence the name, it increases the power of moves of its type. These are uncommon objects, as their creation is rather random. Since your Snivy was attracted to it, and it was originally a seed, it makes sense that this would be a Grass-type focus. In fact, seeds are some of the more common Infinity focuses. People call them “miracle seeds”.  
  
  
“Could you grow something from it?”, I ask.  
  
  
“Hypothetically, yes, but that wouldn’t be much use to you as a Trainer, would it?”, Lenora laughs to herself.  
  
  
“Yeah, you’re right.”, I reply, sinking into my chair, “Anyway, since I’m here, I might as well ask about what I should prepare for when fighting you.”  
  
  
“For your second badge?”, Lenora remarks, “Two Pokemon, levels 18 and 20. A lot of Gym Leaders don’t reveal exact levels, but I graduated from Smogon University with honors, dammit! I live for that kind of stuff!”  
  
  
“Good to know. Anyway, thanks for taking time out of your day to talk to me, Lenora.”  
  
  
“Oh, it’s nothing, kid. I’ll always have time for someone who strikes fear into the hearts of my sons. I look forward to battling you, Emily.”  
  
  
With that, I leave. Me and my team have got work to do.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Up until this point, the trainers in Pinwheel Forest have been rather friendly, with the friendliest being a nurse with an Audino who agreed to provide us with healing should we beat her in a battle. One fight later, we had a nifty little healing spot available to us.  
  
  
This chick, with her stupid tracksuit and her stupid karate belt, is not friendly.  
  
  
“This is the training ground of the Nacrene Fighting-Type Club!”, she announces loudly, “If you want to go any further, you’ll have to get through me!”  
  
  
“Alright.”, I grumble, “Bring it on.”  
  
  
“Let’s do this, Timburr!”, she yells, tossing out a Poke Ball and summoning a small, grey, musclebound creature. I send out Alice, and the battle begins. I order a Gust, her a Focus Energy. Timburr flexes its muscles and begins to faintly glow with energy, before being struck by a gust of wind from Alice which pushes it back, but fails to bowl it over.  
  
  
“Gust, again!”  
  
  
“Rock Throw!”  
  
  
“The FUCK?”  
  
  
Timburr grabs a rock from the ground and hurls it at Alice. It connects with a sickening crunch, but, thank Arceus, it rolls away instead of pinning her to the ground. Alice is alive, but she doesn’t look like she can fight any more. I swap her out for Leonard as the girl orders another Rock Throw. Leonard’s quick, slicing the flying rock in two with a vine, but a chunk still hits him.  
  
  
“Vine Whip!”  
  
  
“Rock Throw!”  
  
  
Leonard charges in, vines raised, but only gets one swipe in before being smacked in the face with a rock. I grab a Super Potion, spraying him down, but Timburr launches another rock. The little bastard’s aim is true, and the projectile smashes Leonard on the head, sending him stumbling.  
  
  
Lewis shoves the dazed Grass-type out of harm’s way, barely flinching as yet another fucking rock bounces off his back.  
  
  
“Let me show you how it’s done.”, he boasts. It is at this point that I realize I don’t know any of Lewis’ moves, but he clearly doesn’t need my help, summoning some mud out of thin air and tossing it at Timburr. The girl changes tactics, commanding a Low Kick. Lewis drops some of the mud he’s creating as a muscular foot smashes into his belly. Timburr’s trainer orders it to keep up the assault, and the battle soon devolves into a brawl, with both Pokemon on autopilot. Lewis keeps tossing mud at Timburr, whose kicks become increasingly random as the mud impairs its vision. It’s not letting up, though.  
  
  
“Get outta there, you idiot!”, Kelly hollers, “I’m gonna finish this!”  
  
  
Lewis turns to deliver a retort, but a furious Timburr launches a powerful kick that sends him tumbling across the ground. Timburr, seeing a lull in the battle, tries to take a moment to rub the mud from its eyes, but Kelly isn’t having any of it, charging into it at top speed and slamming it into a rock. The little Fighting-type slumps against the rock, finally fainting.  
  
  
“Yeah, that knocked a few things around in my head.”, Kelly remarks, retreating to my side, “I’m sorry for being all angry earlier. There must have been something wrong with me.”  
  
  
“Holy crap!”, the girl exclaims, returning her Timburr to its ball, “Your Pokemon fight like machines! That was crazy!”  
  
  
“Yeah, they did pretty well.”, I reply, trying to be modest, “Your Timburr was tough, too. After that, I’m not sure I want to fight the other guys here.”  
  
  
“Impressive, young warrior.”, a Japanese man wearing a karate outfit and sporting a black belt announces, “Truly, an inspiring battle. I foresee a bright future for you. Take this!”  
  
  
He thrusts a brick-red flash drive into my hand.  
  
  
“This is the TM for Rock Smash.”, he explains, “Such a skilled Trainer should already know how to use TMs, so I won’t explain it to you. Rock Smash is a Fighting-type move with a high chance to lower Defense! Try it out!”  
  
  
“Well, thanks, mister karate man, sir.”, I remark, pocketing the TM.  
  
  
 _Nacrenites, man. Crazy._  
  
  
I hear grunts of pain coming from Leonard, and rapidly turn to attend to him.  
  
  
“What’s wrong, buddy?”  
  
  
“New move, I think, Leaf Tornado.”  
  
  
“That sounds awesome. Get rid of Leer.”  
  
  
“Yay! I never liked leering at people! It was nasty!”  
  
  
“Are you okay? You sure that rock didn’t damage your brain?”  
  
  
“Get him a potion, Emily!”, Kelly urges.  
  
  
I oblige, spraying him down with the healing mist. All healed up, a grin spreads across Leonard’s face.  
  
  
“What’s got you so happy, huh?”, I ask, kneeling down to face him.  
  
  
“I feel it.”, he announces, “It’s happening. If I want to protect my friends, I have to become stronger. More powerful.”  
  
  
With that, he dissipates into white light, forming into a glowing bal. The ball spins and pulses before exploding into Leonard’s new form.  
  
  
He stands tall and proud on two thin legs. A yellow, V-shaped crest stretches across his chest, and a row of leaves stretches down his back, culminating in a leafy tail. He gazes at us with red eyes.  
  
  
“This should do nicely.”  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep. Accidents do happen. I hope you found that intro as funny to read as I did to write. 'Til next time.


	15. Chapter 14: Normality (vs. Lenora)

**Chapter 14**  
  
  
 _I’ve been training with my Pokemon, all the live-long day._  
  
 _I’ve been training with my Pokemon, and it’s driven me insane._  
  
 _They bashed their heads against Audino, so they wouldn’t end up dead._  
  
 _Now I’ve got a fucking headache; time for me to go to bed._  
  
It has been a hell of a long day. I have a gym battle with Lenora tomorrow, for which the team is thoroughly prepared. To recap:  
  
  
6:00 AM  
  
Why the hell am I up this early? I blame Wolfgang, who is rather enthusiastic about training, and also rather enthusiastic about spraying water everywhere. Now, I love me some outdoor time, and I’m not averse to getting a little wet (I’m not made of sugar, it won’t kill me), but I don’t like either of these things at six in the morning.  
  
  
7:00 AM  
  
There we go. I’ve showered, I’ve dressed, I’ve got food and coffee in my system, and I’ve packed more food so I don’t have to head back to town for lunch. The rising sun shines down through the scattered trees, and there’s no wind, so it’s warm enough that I don’t need my jacket. I tie it around my waist, and set off to find an Audino.  
  
  
8:00 AM  
  
“You know what you are to me? Nothing.”  
  
Leonard’s post-evolutionary stress manifests itself as extreme arrogance. Watching my adorable snake child being a dick to a young Audino while lacerating her with leaves… it just kills me inside. He doesn’t even fit on my shoulder any more. Maybe once he’s back to normal, I can wrap him around my neck like a scarf. Not gonna try that now, though. He’d probably strangle me.  
  
  
9:00 AM  
  
 _Someday, Wolfgang and Lewis are going to kill each other._  
  
Their training has devolved into a dick-measuring contest, as they both try to one-up the other. Currently, Wolfgang is winning, with his newly-learned Mud Shot beating Lewis’ Metal Claw in power. Annoyingly, they haven’t got far past learning those moves, as they’re constantly at each other’s throats instead of fighting Audino.  
  
  
12:00 PM  
  
“What are you doing up there?”, Cheren calls from down below.  
  
“Whatever I want.”, I reply, reclined on a tree branch, “It’s a free country. What took you so long?”  
  
“I was reading up on Lenora. I learned a few things you might find useful.”  
  
“Well then, spit ‘em out!”  
  
“Not until you get down from there! All this yelling is making my throat hurt.”  
  
“Fine.”  
  
  
12:15 PM  
  
 _Someone’s gonna die._  
  
Cheren spilled the beans on Lenora, and let me tell you, she is bad news. Her signature move, Retaliate, will probably annihilate anyone I have, unless I can somehow avoid it first time around. Emphasis on “somehow” because I’ve got no friggin’ idea.  
  
  
12:30 PM  
  
Alice has an idea.  
  
When I brought up the matter of Retaliate to the team, Alice mentioned seeing her parents use a move where (this is verbatim) “they stood still and then their eyes went all glowy and then they could dodge any attack super-duper-fast.”  
  
Try looking that shit up on Bulbapedia.  
  
  
12:40 PM  
  
Cheren, my personal walking Bulbapedia, has informed me that the move Alice is describing is most likely Detect, and it would probably work for dealing with Retaliate. Good. I’m no longer having a small, constant panic attack.  
  
  
2:00 PM  
  
Alice may be the solution to my problem, but damn, she’s a pain in the ass to train. Even with Air Cutter, a new move she picked up, she takes a while to take down those big, squishy Audino that are just experience piñatas. I’m finding that she has to rely on the younger, weaker Audino who’ll give up their experience without a fight, which I’m not happy about. I mean, sure, it makes her stronger, but it’s not teaching her to fight, is it?  
  
  
3:00 PM  
  
Ryan’s a biter now. I did not expect this. I mean, I know that the really vicious ape Pokemon in Africa can be very bitey, but I didn’t think someone like Ryan would have it in him. I don’t think he even likes to use the move, but he admits that he’ll use it if he has to.  
  
  
6:00 PM  
  
We’re still not done. I mean, everyone’s learning some neat new moves, but I still have to get everyone properly leveled, and Alice still hasn’t learned Detect. At least Bianca showed up with food a little while back. I hadn’t expected to be out here for this long. She’s been out training her Pokemon on Route 3. The grind is slower there, but she feels it’s safer. To each their own, I guess. Interestingly, when Bianca showed up, she was all wrapped up in one of her fashionable jackets. I swear, that girl cannot stand the cold. It’s pleasantly cool, not wrap-up-warm weather.  
  
  
7:30 PM  
  
Alice emerges from the glowing white ball of transformation as a two-foot-tall bird with majestic wings and pink, taloned feet. Before evolving, she learned Detect, so we are officially done now.  
  
“Holy heck!”, she exclaims, flapping her wings and rising into the air, “I’m _awesome_.”  
  
“You’re damn right you are.”, I reply, grinning.  
  
 _Let’s get out of here_.  
  
  
Yeah, it’s been a hell of a day. I hope Lenora doesn’t mind if I’m a little late. I am going to need a lot of sleep.  
  
  
I wake up with something rather cold on top of me.  
  
“I swear to Arceus, Wolfgang-“, I begin.  
  
“Relax, silly! It’s only me!”, Leonard replies, playfully licking my cheek with his forked tongue, “Sorry for being a jerk yesterday, by the way.”  
  
 _I need good wake-ups like this more often._  
  
Since I’m feeling so excellent, I decide to call Mom.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Hi, Mom.”  
  
“Emily! It’s been so long since you last called!”  
  
“It’s been, like, a few days, mom. Chill.”  
  
“I just want to know how you’re doing, that’s all.”  
  
“Well, I’m doing fine. I’ve caught some cool Pokemon.”  
  
“Yes, Juniper told me.”  
  
“We did a ton of training yesterday, because I am battling Lenora today.”  
  
“That would be your second badge, correct?”  
  
“Indeed.”  
  
“Oh, you’re moving so fast! Barely a week ago you were starting off on your journey, and now you’re all the way to Nacrene, ready to win your second Gym battle! I’m so proud of you!”  
  
“Thanks, Mom. Wish me luck!”  
  
“Will do! Good luck, darling! I love you!”  
  
“Love you too, mom. Bye.”  
  
“Goodbye.”  
  
I put down my phone, and Wolfgang starts talking.  
  
“Who was that?”, he asks, “The person talking to you on your - what was that device called, my memory must be acting up-“  
  
“Phone?”, I offer.  
  
“ _Ja, ja,_ telephone!”, he exclaims, rolling from side to side, “Who was that?”  
  
“Wolfgang,that was my mother. You had one of those, didn’t you?”  
  
“ _Ja_ ”, he replies, “but she was rather the overbearing type. There’s a reason I left home so young.”  
  
“Because she kicked you out of whatever putrid swamp you came from, you insufferable twit.”, Lewis remarks, smirking.  
  
With great swiftness, I grab Wolfgang’s Poke Ball and recall him into it before he can murder Lewis.  
  
“Everyone, be quiet.”, I mutter, grabbing an unworn shirt from my backpack, “I gotta get some shit done, and then we can get moving. I don’t need you guys interrupting me.”  
  
  
Cheren and Bianca are off doing some last-minute training, so I’m off to the Gym on my own. I was kind of bummed out when I looked at my phone and saw a text from each of them kindly informing me that they’d left. I’ll still watch their gym battles, though, because I am a Good Friend. I amble through the museum and into the gym, where the Gym Guide offers me a bottle of water. I graciously accept, and move forward. The gym serves dual purpose as a musty old library, full of brown, dusty books on brown, dusty shelves that sit on brown, dusty floors. It’s all very… well, brown. And dusty. I never said I was good with words. Most of these books would probably confuse me. I notice a scrap of paper taped to a bookshelf.  
  
 _Turn back,_ it reads.  
  
Well, screw you, piece of paper! I’m here for my Gym Badge. I do what I want.  
  
There’s something, or rather someone, rather interesting behind the next shelf.  
  
“Hey, isn’t that the guy we met in Accumula?”, Kelly says, observing the green-haired boy warily, “What was his name, again?”  
  
“My name is N”, he interrupts, looking up from an ancient-looking tome, “I can hear you, you know. I can forgive you for not being familiar with human customs, Kelly, but this is a library, and you’re meant to be quiet.”  
  
“Why should I listen to you, creep?”, she retorts, approaching him, “It’s not like I have any reason to trust you.”  
  
N sits on the floor in front of her.  
  
“You should trust me because I have dedicated myself to protecting Pokemon from selfish and cruel trainers.”, he explains, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
“Emily isn’t selfish or cruel!”, Kelly snaps, stamping her foot and kicking up dust, “She does get angry at us sometimes, especially Wolfgang and Lewis, but it’s always because we did something wrong, not because she’s a bad person.”  
  
“Is that really true, though?”, N counters, “Or are you merely blind in your loyalty to your master’s cause?”  
  
“Say a ‘mon only knew what some of those words meant.”, she remarks, tilting her head to one side.  
  
“Guh. A fool like you could never hope to understand what I do.”, he grumbles, returning to his book.  
  
I can’t take this any more.  
  
“The fuck do you think you’re doing, trying to convert my dog to your Tauros-shit way of thinking?”, I hiss, stomping my way over to him, “What are you even here for?”  
  
“Studying.”, N replies, not looking up at me, “I’m reading up on the ancient dragon Pokemon, Zekrom.”  
  
“And why the hell would you be doing that?”  
  
“Why would I tell you?”  
  
“Leave him alone, Emily.”, Kelly advises, returning to my side, “He’s not worth our time.”  
  
We continue on, finding another scrap of paper as the library gets dustier.  
  
 _Why are you going this way?,_ the paper says.  
  
Don’t ask questions of me, inanimate object. I’ve got places to be, and that’s all you need to know.  
  
The bookshelves stop coming in neat rows, instead becoming more labyrinthine. I use the disheartening scraps of paper as a guide. They might say things like _Stop what you’re doing_ and _This is the wrong way,_ but I reckon they form a breadcrumb trail that leads right to Lenora. Eventually, Kelly and I find ourselves at a wall-mounted bookshelf with a note on the side. We are both covered in dust.  
  
“What does it say? Read it?”, Kelly asks, looking up at me with wide eyes.  
  
“Alright… _Why do you keep pushing forward?_ ”  
  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
  
“Same crap as all the other ones. Trying to discourage us. Now, where to from here?”  
  
“No clue. This looks like a dead end, unless- wait! I’ve got it!”  
  
“Got what?”  
  
“I know what they mean by _pushing forward_.”, she announces, moving to the side of the bookshelf, “Help me out, would you?”  
  
“Heh. I see your thinking. Let’s do this.”  
  
We try to push the shelf to the side, and sure enough, it moves with ease, revealing a wooden staircase.  
  
“Secret room behind the bookcase.”, I mutter under my breath, “Classic.”  
  
  
The stairway leads down to a large room with a hard stone floor. Bookshelves line the walls, and Lenora sits in an armchair at the back of the room, smiling.  
  
“I’ve been expecting you, Emily.”, she says, leaving her chair, “Welcome to my battleground.”  
  
“Nice secret room.”, I comment, brushing dust off my jacket, “What was with the weird notes upstairs, by the way?”  
  
“Ahh, the notes!”, Lenora enthuses, “You see, both a researcher and a Trainer must show determination. Even when everyone is telling you to stop, you have to keep going. I believe you demonstrate that more than most, especially since you found your way to me quite rapidly. Second badge, correct?”  
  
“Indeed.”, I reply, removing Leonard’s Poke Ball from my bandolier, “Kelly, get back. This is Leonard’s fight.”  
  
Lenora calls for Dr. Hawes (she calls him Edward, understandably) on a radio, and he quickly appears from a side entrance, taking position as the referee for our battle.  
  
“Shall we begin?”, Lenora asks, taking a Poke Ball from her belt.  
  
“Alright.”, Hawes announces, his voice echoing throughout the room, “This battle will be between the Gym Leader, Lenora, and the challenger, Emily. Only the challenger may make substitutions. The battle is over once one side has no battle-capable Pokemon left. Gym Leader, Challenger, send out your first Pokemon.”  
  
I toss out Leonard, and Lenora sends out a Herdier, which lets out a guttural growl and contorts its face into a smirk. Leonard falters for a second.  
  
“Intimidate.”, Lenora explains, “An ability that lowers the foe’s physical attack power.”  
  
“Not gonna work on Leonard.”, I reply, grinning, “He relies on special attacks and status moves. Give her a Leech Seed, Leonard. Show her what we’re made of.”  
  
“We’re not done lowering his stats, are we, Herdier?”, Lenora chuckles, “Use Leer!”  
  
Leonard summons three barbed seeds out of thin air, launching them at Herdier. They stick in its fur, and it angrily leers at Leonard, who shudders in fear. With that lowered defense, a hit from that Herdier is gonna suck for him. I let the seeds drain health from Herdier into Leonard before silently withdrawing him. Lenora orders a Take Down on whatever comes out next.  
  
“Sorry, buddy.”, I whisper to Ryan’s ball before sending him out.  
  
I prepare a Super Potion as Ryan bursts out of his ball, only to get clotheslined by a charging Herdier. The display on my Pokedex reveals the inconvenient truth that Ryan can’t really take two of those in a row, but Herdier’s hurting from that attack, and the seeds lodged in its hide are slowly draining its strength. After spraying my first Super Potion, I check my bag. Yep, I’ve got enough healing items to make this work.  
  
Lenora’s Herdier keeps using Take Down, and I keep healing Ryan.  
  
“Although I understand that you want to keep your Pokemon alive”, Lenora remarks after I spray another Super Potion, “you really couldn’t think of a better strategy than this? What are you even trying to accomplish?”  
  
“Hey, you backed me into a corner.”, I retort, “Anyway, I’m not sure if you realized, but between the recoil on that move and Leonard’s Leech Seed, your Herdier’s health is slowly being chipped away. In fact, you might want to heal it soon.”  
  
“Son of a- you’re right!”  
  
She quickly grabs a Super Potion, using it on Herdier.  
  
“Ryan, time for a Bite.”, I utter.  
  
“Finally, some action!”, he remarks, charging in and sinking his teeth into his opponent’s flank.  
  
“Herdier, give him a Leer!”, Lenora commands.  
  
Hardier quickly turns to face Ryan and gives him, just… just this terrifying death stare, right in his little face.  
  
“Bad place, bad place, bad place!”, Ryan stammers, rapidly retreating.  
  
Once again, defense drop is not good, so I swap Ryan for the still-healthy Leonard.  
  
“Alright”, he says, confidently, “I’m ready for-“  
  
He, like Ryan before him, gets immediately pummeled by Herdier.  
  
“Heh. That tickled.”, Leonard remarks casually, regaining some health from his seeds, “Leaf Tornado, Emily?”  
  
“Do it.”  
  
He summons a twisting, twirling tempest of leaves which is powerful enough to lift Herdier into the air, leaving laceration after laceration before petering out, dropping the canine Pokemon to the ground with a dull thud.  
  
“Herdier!”, Lenora exclaims, her hands over her mouth, “Are you alright?”  
  
It responds with a weak groan before collapsing.  
  
  
“Oh, I’m gonna make you pay for that one, girlie.”, she snarls, tossing a Poke Ball, “Watchog!”  
  
Okay. This was what we were worried about. This weird, red-brown rodent with crazy eyes and a natural high-visibility jacket. Thing is, I’ve got a plan now.  
  
“Alice, let’s go!”  
  
“The hell do you want, boss?”, she grumbles, spitting on the floor.  
  
 _Oh. I almost forgot. She’s gonna be a complete dick for a while._  
  
“Watchog, Retaliate!”, Lenora hollers, her eyes narrowed.  
  
“Oh, crap.”, Alice mutters to herself.  
  
“Alice, Detect!”, I shout, “Like we planned!”  
  
Alice’s eyes go wide and start glowing a brilliant yellow. Watchog rushes towards her with clenched fists and bared teeth, and I swear she’s going to take the full force of the attack. I close my eyes and prepare myself for the sickening crunch of bone and the screams of agony.  
  
Except they never come. I hear a whooshing noise, and the yapping of a very disappointed Watchog. I open my eyes to see Alice off to one side, breathing heavily as she casually nudges a book off a shelf with her wing.  
  
 _Holy shit. She actually did it._  
  
I realize I’ve been holding my breath this whole time, and let out a massive sigh.  
  
“Alright, Alice, Air Cutter.”, I say between heavy breaths.  
  
“Fine, fine, fine.”, she grumbles.  
  
Lenora tells Watchog to use Leer as Alice launches blades of air across the room. They strike the big rodent dead-on in the chest, leaving cuts and causing it to stagger, but it balances itself with its tail and leans forward to deliver a death stare that, thanks to its utterly terrifying eyes, puts Herdier’s to shame.  
  
“I’m getting switched out, aren’t I?”, Alice mutters, turning to face me.  
  
The _pchoo_ of her Poke Ball drowns out any further complaints she might have.  
  
“Leonard?”, I query.  
  
“Sure thing, Emily.”, he replies, leaping into the fray and immediately having to slide across the room to avoid Watchog's hypnotic gaze.  
  
“Now, Leech Seed that thing!”, I command, dramatically pointing at Watchog.  
  
“Retaliate, and don’t spare the power!”, Lenora yells, her cheeks flushed.  
  
Leonard launches another barrage of barbed seeds, which lodge themselves in a very angry Watchog. It reacts with a powerful tail strike that knocks Leonard to the floor.  
  
“I’m okay.”, he breaths, a large, red welt appearing on his head, “Might wanna get me out of here before, you know, that thing lands another attack.”  
  
I return Leonard to his ball and send out Alice, who, unfortunately, falls victim to Watchog’s Hypnosis and collapses to the ground. What do I have for- Awakenings, yes, I bought a couple of those, thank Arceus. I spray one on Alice’s face, and she immediately perks up.  
  
 _What do they put in these, concentrated caffeine with a side of cocaine? That worked surprisingly quickly._  
  
She stands up, only to get struck across the chest by a Retaliate from Watchog. Hell of a thing to wake up to, but she takes it without faltering. The Leech Seed healing certainly helps.  
  
“Try a Quick Attack, Alice!”  
  
“Watchog, Retaliate again!”  
  
Alice flits and flies around the room, dodging strike after strike from Watchog, who only gets a hit in when she goes in for the “attack” part of Quick Attack.  
  
“Second verse, same as the first, Alice!”  
  
“I have no freaking clue what that means, jerk!”  
  
“It means do that again!”  
  
“Fine!”  
  
Watchog is looking seriously drained, with Leonard’s seeds sapping its life force and giving it to Alice, and all it takes is a second Quick Attack for it to run out of steam and fall to the floor.  
  
  
Hawes rapidly waves his arms in front of him, as if he’s refereeing a boxing match instead of a Pokemon battle.  
  
“Both of the Gym Leader Lenora’s Pokemon are unable to battle! The challenger, Emily, wins!”  
  
“I’m impressed, child.”, Lenora admits, taking two small items from a small compartment, “You lacked any sort of type advantage, and your Pokemon were sometimes too frail to take more than a single attack, yet you were determined to win, so you pulled through. For that, I will award you the Basic Badge.”  
  
I take out my badge case and place the small metal badge, which looks like the spine of a book, in its rightful place next to the badge I got in Striaton.  
  
“I will also award you with my TM, Retaliate.”, she continues, handing me a grey flash drive, “It’s a Normal-type attack that doubles in power if used immediately after an ally has been defeated. Knowing your condition, I hope you never have to take advantage of that.”  
  
“Thank you.”, I reply, placing the TM in a small pocket of my bag that I have designated the TM pocket. Considering how many of these damn things I’ve collected already, I felt it was necessary.  
  
‘Now, let me show you the-“, Lenora is interrupted by Hawes.  
  
“Dear, we’ve got a problem.”, he utters quickly, rushing over to her.  
  
“Well then, spit it out!”, she retorts, leaning in close to his face, “I haven’t got time for any preamble.”  
  
“I’m getting a report from upstairs.”, he continues, pointing insistently at his radio, “Apparently, some goons in knight costumes have stolen the fake Light Stone!”  
  
“Team Plasma.”, I mutter under my breath, “Those cocksuckers.”  
  
“Did you just say Team Plasma?”, Lenora asks, “As in, the Pokemon rights activists?”  
  
“Criminals, more like.”, I reply gruffly.  
  
“I don’t believe you.”, she retorts, hands on hips, “Not for a second.”  
  
“Let’s go upstairs. You’ll see.”  
  
  
“It’s.. gone.”, Hawes mutters, examining the shattered glass case that used to contain the replica Light Stone.  
  
“But why would they steal a fake artifact?”, Lenora wonders, scratching her chin.  
  
“The thing you gotta know about Team Plasma’s grunts”, I explain, “is that they’re really stupid. They probably thought it was the real thing, wanted to summon an ancient dragon for nefarious deeds.”  
  
“They could be trying to pawn it off to someone as the real deal.”, Hawes observes.  
  
“Nonsense!”, Lenora snaps, “Anyone with hands could figure out that the one we had here was a fake.”  
  
“Is it really necessary that we get it back, though?”, Hawes offers, “I mean, we can just have another replica made.”  
  
“Have you lost your mind, Edward?”, Lenora hollers, “It’s one of our most popular exhibits. We have to get it back! Call the cops!”  
  
“No need, lady.”, I remark casually, “I’ll take care of it. I’ve dealt with Team Plasma before, I can do it again.”  
  
“Judging by the reports, there were a lot of them.”, Hawes warns, “We might need some extra help for this one.”  
  
“Lenora?”, a male, yet oddly effeminate voice calls, “Is that you I hear? Oh, I’ve been looking everywhere for you, and so have these two fine young Trainers!”  
  
“Well, speak of Giratina.”, Lenora mutters.  
  
  
Standing in the entrance of the room are three figures. The one in the middle is tall and lanky, with fluffy brown hair and green eyes. He wears a green shirt, red pants and a red scarf. To his right is Cheren, who has this big, dumb grin on his face and is hopping from foot to foot. To his left is Bianca, who has her hair tied up in a neat bun, is wearing a dress and heels, and is probably wearing makeup (I don’t have an eye for that kind of thing, but it’s a logical assumption to make) because of course she fucking would.  
  
“Burgh, what are you doing here?”, Lenora asks, slightly irritated, “Is it artist’s block again?”  
  
“How did you guess?”, this Burgh character replies, feigning surprise.  
  
“It’s always artist’s block, Burgh.”, Lenora utters, raising her voice, “Can’t you see we have a situation here?”  
  
“Well, we did see some disgustingly-dressed people running out of the museum like they had a place to be. Does that have anything to do with it?”  
  
“Knight costumes?”, I query.  
  
“Yes, indeed!”, Burgh exclaims, “Like they’d just come back from the world’s shittiest Renaissance fair.”  
  
“They looked like the guys we saw back in Accumula Town.”, Cheren adds.  
  
“Yeah. Team Plasma.”, I reply, crossing my arms and shrugging my shoulders, “You’ve heard my stories.”  
  
“Me and Emily have seen them in action.”, Bianca notes, “They’re bad people.”  
  
“As you can see”, Lenora explains, gesturing to the spot once occupied by the fake Light Stone, “one of our most prized exhibits was stolen by those people you saw. Burgh, we’re going to need your help to get it back. Emily here will also be helping, considering that she just proved herself in battle and earned my badge. You two will head after those goons. Burgh, do you have any idea where they might have gone?”  
  
“They went off to the west.”, Cheren interrupts.  
  
“Thank you, child.”, Lenora continues, “Since they headed west, it’s safe to assume they’re trying to hide in Pinwheel Forest. Emily, you and Burgh will go there and look for them. I have a few things to deal with here, then I’ll be right behind you. Hawes, you two”, she says, pointing at Cheren and Bianca, “stay here and protect the museum. For all we know, there could be more coming. Sound like a plan, everyone?”  
  
Nobody speaks any grievances with the plan, so we all set off.  
  
“So, how was your gym battle?”, Cheren asks.  
  
“I’ll talk about it later.”, I reply, “All I wanna say now, because it’s on the tip of my tongue, is that Bianca, you are looking good.”  
  
Well”, Bianca notes, smiling, “I figured that since Lenora is such a figure of authority, I should show her some respect by wearing something nice.”  
  
“Hey, fair warning, girl, lotta dust in the Gym.”, I remark, “Prepare to give yourself a good brush-off when you get to Lenora.”  
  
“Thanks, Emily.”, Bianca replies, visibly sagging, “Oh, I regret wearing such a brightly-colored dress and white shoes now. All that dust is going to stick out like a sore thumb.”  
  
“Relax, Bianca.”, Cheren comments, “You’re gonna look fine. Now, can we focus on the task at hand? Emily has somewhere to be, doesn’t she?”  
  
“Yep. See you guys later.”  
  
  
“So, Burgh.”, I question as we group up at the entrance to Pinwheel Forest proper, “What’s your deal?”  
  
“I happen to be the Castelia City Gym Leader, thank you very much!”, he snaps, leering at me, “What is with your attitude, young lady?”  
  
“I’m no lady, bucko.”, I reply gruffly, “Anyway, you should know who I am.”  
  
“Wait a minute. You must be _that_ Emily, the Nuzlocke kid that Chilli warned us all about.”  
  
“You’re damn right I am. Now, what’s the plan?”  
  
“Well, there are two paths through this part of the forest: a straight-shot paved path, and a winding route that goes through all the trees. I was thinking-“  
  
“That you could take the straight path because you’re a city boy who’s scared of a few bugs and doesn’t want to ruin his manicure, and that I could take the forest path because you want to screw me over, but honestly I wouldn’t mind because I love the outdoors.”  
  
“Actually, I was thinking the opposite, considering that you’re only a child, and that I should be setting an example as the adult here, but your plan works too. Also, I’ll have you know that I am a Bug-type user, and, as such, I am not scared of a few bugs. And about the whole manicure thing, that actually reminds me, I need to get my nails redone. These babies are looking pretty rough right now.”  
  
“So we’re going with my plan?”  
  
“Sure. Why not?”  
  
“Awesome! I’ll see you soon, hopefully!”  
  
“Goodbye, young Emily!”  
  
With that, I leave Burgh to his own devices and head off into the inviting grasp of the dark forest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew. I binge-wrote most of this update. Anyway, second badge get! In the next chapter, Pinwheel Forest awaits! 'Til next time.


	16. Chapter 15: The Bad Guys

Chapter 15  
  
  
Holy shit, I love Pinwheel Forest. It’s like the woods near Nuvema that I used to play in, times a million. It’s dark in here, with the thick foliage above me blocking out all but a few shafts of sunlight, which provide little puddles of light where beautiful, technicolor flowers grow. Bug and Grass Pokemon scurry through the trees, adding a feeling of constant movement to the place. One of these Pokemon, a rather pessimistic Sewaddle, becomes my catch for the area. I name her Eliza, and since I love Bug-types (my favorite Pokemon of all time would have to be Scizor), I’d love to use her, but I already have the best Grass-type in the world on my team.  
  
 _Love you, Leonard._  
  
It was a quick, relatively emotionless capture, mainly because I like my team the way it is. Maybe, if someone starts underperforming or, Arceus forbid, someone dies, I’ll get to know her better, but I didn’t have time. I still don’t. As the British would say, I’ve got crims to nick!  
  
 _Aggh, fuck! The Unovan in me is dying. Cheeseburgers! Gun ownership! Homophobia!_  
  
 _Much better. Don’t know what came over me._  
  
The first few people I find are all little kids, who are very eager to battle with me. I’m sure my team would love the experience, but I haven’t got time for that shit. I’ve got a job to do, even if it means bribing children with the candy in my bag so they won’t battle me.  
  
The first Plasma grunt I find is an oddly familiar face, one I’ve seen twice before. It’s motherfucking Vacuum Man!  
  
“You.”, he hisses, staring at me intently.  
  
“What the hell are you doing here?”, I retort, hands on hips, “I kicked your ass twice already. Don’t you know when you’re beat? Anyway, what happened to your partner?”  
  
“He got fired for incompetence.”, he admits.  
  
“You’re just as incompetent as each other!”, I remark, “Why didn’t you both get fired.”  
  
“Honestly, I have no- wait, why am I even talking to you? Sandile, I choose you!”  
  
He tosses a Poke Ball, and a small, brown reptile emerges onto the forest floor.  
  
“Leonard, I’m pretty sure this thing is a Ground-type. Make this quick.”  
  
Leonard slithers to the floor, immediately beginning the process of creating a Leaf Tornado.  
  
“Sandile, use Thief!” Vacuum Man orders.  
  
Sandile begins to run, its gaze fixated on Leonard’s Miracle Seed, but it doesn’t get far before being swept up into the air by a Leaf Tornado. getting thoroughly pummeled, and having its unconscious form dumped unceremoniously on the ground.  
  
“Holy shit.”, he utters, fishing through his pockets, “Please, don’t hurt me, just… take this TM! I don’t need it any more!”  
  
With shaking hands, he gives me a black flash drive, then runs away.  
  
“You know, I wasn’t going to hurt you”, I call to him, “but thanks for the freebie!”  
  
The look on his face in the split second when he turns back to look at me? Priceless.  
  
After squeezing between two trees, I find another Plasma grunt. This one’s a girl, who is examining a tear on her uniform. She must’ve snagged it on a branch or something.  
  
“Stupid uniform”, she mutters to herself, not noticing me, “I think it looks dumb anyway, but Gorn won’t listen to me when- huh? Is that an intruder I hear?”  
  
“You’re damn right.”, I remark, grinning, “I just beat your friend back there into the dust.”  
  
“Son of a bitch! Gorn said to stop anyone who came this way! Prepare to be- wait, are those _six_ Poke Balls?”  
  
“You’re observant.”, I comment , “More intelligent than the others I’ve seen.”  
  
“Well, I know when I’m beat.”, she notes, backing away slowly, “I gotta warn the others, tell them there’s a strong Trainer coming their way.”  
  
I stay silent, a smug smirk plastered across my face.  
  
 _You better run._  
  
  
“Is it just me, or does anyone else love having that effect on certain people?”, I ask my team, leaning against a tree.  
  
“While I do not desire to have such an effect on everyone”, Lewis admits, “having it on these ruffians is certainly nice.”  
  
“You act like you would have a psychological effect on anyone.”, Wolfgang snaps back, flicking his tail, “You’re too cute. People just make  goo-goo eyes at you.”  
  
“Says you, Ball-with-a-Frigging-Tail”, Alice remarks from a treetop perch.  
  
“I will knock you straight out of that tree, _Frau_ Alice!”, Wolfgang threatens.  
  
“Try me.”  
  
Bless him, he tries, but the blast of water he shoots just sort of pathetically arcs downwards after going up about ten feet. It gets nowhere near Alice.  
  
“Can we just not have infighting?”, I holler, “For one fucking day?”  
  
Before anyone can respond, my X-transceiver buzzes to life. I’d almost forgot I even had the thing. I was using it as a fancy watch!  
  
“Emily, it’s Lenora.”, Lenora’s voice comes through the device.  
  
“How did you even contact me?”, I ask, surprised, “It’s not like I gave out whatever contact details you need for this thing.”  
  
“Your friend Bianca figured it out.”, Lenora explains, “Surprisingly good with electronics, she is. At least, that’s what your other friend confirmed, since I’d only seen her work her magic once.”  
  
“Ahh, Bianca. Always good with computers. Once, she jailbroke Cheren’s phone so it could play Pokemon battle simulators, and I swear he didn’t talk to us for two months straight.”  
  
“Yes, yes, but that’s not the point. Situation report?”  
  
“Well, I found two grunts. I kicked the first one’s ass and sent the second one running for help, so I’ll call those minor victories.”  
  
“Good, good. Burgh reported in. He hasn’t seen anything on his route.”  
  
“Of course he hasn’t. Why would Team Plasma try to hide on the direct, open-air path leading straight through the forest?”  
  
“I don’t know, but he certainly seems determined to make himself feel important. Gym Leader’s responsibility, and all that.”  
  
“I suppose so. Anyway, I gotta get moving. More grunts to find, and all that.”  
  
“Then I won’t trouble you any longer, girl. Lenora, out.”  
  
The line goes dead, and we continue going deeper and deeper into the forest.  
  
  
The next things I find, apart from a patch of absolutely stunning flowers, are a Pokemon Ranger and his Herdier. The Pokemon Rangers are not as cool as the Power Rangers or the Army Rangers, but you still gotta have some respect for them. They do good work.  
  
“Hello, young lady!”, he announces cheerfully, “The name’s Forrest. Yes, I’ve heard all the jokes. Life’s like a box of chocolates, and all that.”  
  
“Let’s make this quick.”, I remark, “You gonna battle me or not? ‘Cause I don’t have the time for that.”  
  
“Well, if you don’t have the time, then I won’t bother you. I do have something that might help you, though.”  
  
“I’m a sucker for free stuff. What you got?”  
  
He shrugs, “It’s not much, really. You see, HQ gave us a TM to share around. It’s Grass Knot, you see?”  
  
He digs through his pockets, fishing out a green flash drive.  
  
“Now, the other Rangers here in the forest have elemental monkeys, like that Panpour of yours. Herdier, though, isn’t so much the grass-knotting type. I feel like you could make more use of it than I ever could.”  
  
“Isn’t it technically Ranger property, though?”, I question, scratching my chin.  
  
“Oh, they’ve got a million TMs back at base.”, Forrest assures me, “Now, if I were a tactless man, I’d tell you where our base was and a secret way in so you could steal all the TMs and turn your team into flame-throwing, earthquaking badasses, but I like my job just enough that I won’t do that.”  
  
“Son of a bitch. That’s a shame.”  
  
“That it is, young lady. Anyway, you seem like someone in a hurry, so I won’t bother you any longer. I’ll radio ahead and tell my colleagues not to trouble you either.”  
  
“Thanks, man. Appreciate it.”  
  
In the shade of the next clearing, I take out my Pokedex and teach Leonard and Ryan Grass Knot. It’s a good same-type attack for Leonard and coverage against other Water-types for Ryan.  
  
 _Arceus, I sound like Cheren. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing, it’s just that he can get very nerdy about Pokemon sometimes._  
  
Thanks to Forrest and that one Plasma grunt, the path ahead is clear, with Forrest’s Ranger buddies cheerily waving hello but otherwise not bothering me. There’s no sign of any Plasma grunts, with the exception of one guy who thinks that, because he has three Pokemon, he can mess with me. Unfortunately for him, they’re really shitty Pokemon: two Patrats who get Rock Smashed by Lewis (TMs sure are nifty, aren’t they?), and a Sandile that gets a Bubblebeam to the face from Wolfgang. After him, I shimmy my way up a convenient fallen log and onto a rise in the terrain. Odd for a forest, but I’ll take it. A good vantage point is always nice.  
  
 _Wait, are those-?_  
  
 _You’re damn right this is a good vantage point, Emily. Those are Plasma grunts, not to mention some asshat in blue robes who must be their leader.. He looks like a less weird version of that Ghetsis creep._  
  
I can just about hear them talking, but it’s just the grunts’ idle musings for now, nothing important. I start speaking into the device on my wrist.  
  
“Lenora”, I whisper, being careful not to draw attention to myself, “I found Team Plasma. I can see the main path from here, too.”  
  
“Excellent work, young lady.”, Lenora replies, “I’ll patch Burgh in, and we can coordinate things.”  
  
After a few seconds of silence, another voice enters the fray.  
  
“Hello? Can you hear me?”  
  
“Yes, we can hear you, Burgh.”, Lenora answers, “Can you see the Team Plasma members that Emily is seeing?”  
  
“Well”, he says, “I can’t see Emily, so-“  
  
“You act like there are other Plasma grunts in this forest.”, I interrupt.  
  
“Fine, fine.”, Burgh grumbles, “About a dozen fashion disasters or so, accompanied by another trainwreck in blue robes?”  
  
I notice one of the grunts emerging from the group, holding the fake Light Stone close to his chest before presenting it to the guy in blue.  
  
“Shut up.”, I insist, “Listen.”  
  
  
“Sage Gorm!”, the grunt shouts excitedly, “Here it is, just like you asked. The Light Stone!”  
  
“Excellent work, young grunt.”, the robed man, who I guess is Gorm, says, “Give it here.”  
  
The grunt hands over the stone, and although I can barely make out Gorm’s facial expression, something about his face tells me that _he knows_.  
  
“Hmm.”, he muses, “Cold, metallic-“, he hits it with his fist, and it makes a pinging noise, “-hollow. Is it possible- yes, there is no other reasonable explanation.”  
  
“What is it, sir?”, the grunt asks.  
  
“From my observations, I believe this so-called Light Stone to be- how do I put this nicely? A fake. A phony. A knock-off. Not real.”  
  
“But, sir, I-“, the grunt stammers, before being interrupted.  
  
“Fake? Fake! How could you not have known?”, Gorm yells, waving the fake stone in the air, “You held it, with your own two hands, and you didn’t figure out it was a fake?”  
  
“With all due respect, sir-“, the grunt begins, before being interrupted for a second time.  
  
“You will not talk back to me, you pathetic fool!”, Gorn hollers.  
  
“Go time?”, I whisper over the radio.  
  
“Let’s-a go!”, Burgh remarks.  
  
 _Flamboyant son of a bitch._  
  
Burgh and Lenora emerge from the bushes on the right, while I scramble my way down the slope into the clearing.  
  
“Sir, we have company.”, one of the grunts notes.  
  
“I see, I see.”, Gorm mutters, “If my memory serves me correctly, we are joined by two Gym Leaders and an unknown third party.”  
  
Vacuum Man speaks, “That’s her, sir! That’s the girl who kicked my ass three times!”  
  
“Shall we fight them, sir?”, another grunt asks, puffing himself up to look brave and strong.  
  
“No.”, Gorm snaps, “That will be completely unnecessary.”  
  
“Be quiet, you.”, Lenora interrupts sternly, “You have something in your possession that belongs to me.”  
  
“Oh, this?”, Gorm replies nonchalantly, showing her the stolen stone, “You can have it back. It’s of no use to me. After all, how am I supposed to summon a legendary dragon with a fake stone?”  
  
“Fair point.”, Lenora notes, “Now, give it back before I have to call the police. I’m hoping that you people really are Pokemon rights activists, and that this was an isolated incident.”  
  
“If you would be so kind”, Gorm responds calmly, handing Lenora the stone. “I would like to talk for a short time. You, Lenora, and you, Burgh, are Gym Leaders.”  
  
“This is true.”, Burgh remarks.  
  
“Don’t interrupt me!”, Gorm snaps, “Anyway, you may be either part of the problem, as you advocate the training and battling of Pokemon, but there is a slim chance that you may be part of the solution, as I assume that you take better care of your Pokemon than most trainers. Our leader, Ghetsis, plans to make people give up their Pokemon with words alone. However, we, the other Sages of Team Plasma, have ordered our associates to use force to take Pokemon from trainers, but only if strictly necessary.”  
  
He’s pacing up and down the clearing now, twiddling his fingers.  
  
“Team Plasma’s goals are far beyond your comprehension. If you interfere with our plans in future, there will be consequences. Goodbye.”  
  
He takes something from a pocket in his robes and tosses it and _oh fuck it’s a grenade and oh Arceus this is how I die isn’t it and there’s so many things I wish I’d told so many people and suddenly everything is grey and I’m coughing and oh thank Mew it was only a smoke grenade. I’m not dead. I’m not dead._  
  
  
“You okay, kid?”, Lenora coughs, as I hear her stumbling around in the dense smoke.  
  
“I don’t know what part of my overall ensemble this smoke is ruining”, Burgh complains, “but it’s definitely ruining something.”  
  
“Really, Burgh?”, Lenora and I chorus.  
  
 _Great minds think alike._  
  
“I just… I need to keep my appearance tip-top, you know?”, he replies grumpily, “You never know who you could meet in the middle of the forest!”  
  
“Sometimes, Burgh”, Lenora mutters, not entirely under her breath, “I really hate you.”  
  
“I heard that!”, he yells in reply.  
  
I didn’t realize until now that I’d closed my eyes. Upon opening them, the smoke has cleared, but Gorm and his goons are nowhere to be seen. Lenora clutches the fake Light Stone tightly to her chest, and Burgh is brushing himself off for… some reason.  
  
“Whew.”, Burgh sighs, “Hey, Emily, now that all this is over, there’s something I’d like to give you.”  
  
“Alright.”, I reply, “What have you got?”  
  
He fishes something out of his pocket, and it’s a faintly glowing- son of a bitch, it’s another Miracle Seed!  
  
“With all due respect, Burgh, I already-“  
  
I did not know Lenora was next to me, but she elbows me in the ribs.  
  
“I- I mean, thank you! I’ll be… sure to put it to good use. Yes!”  
  
“Good to see my gifts are appreciated.”, Burgh says, smiling at his own supposed niceness.  
  
I toss out Ryan’s Poke Ball, and the monkey emerges. I might as well boost his new Grass Knot move, so I hand him the seed.  
  
“It feels wrong for me to hold this.”, he muses.  
  
“Well, just take it, okay?”, I say, “Be nice to the gay man.”  
  
“I’ll have you know that I am pansexual!”, Burgh yells.  
  
“What, so you’re attracted to kitchen implements?”, I remark snidely.  
  
“Ha ha.”, Burgh deadpans, “Like I haven’t heard that one a million times before.”  
  
“When was the last time you dated a woman, Burgh?”, Lenora asks.  
  
“Elesa, a year ago, before she dumped me for that Steven Stone prick.”, Burgh replies angrily, “How do they even manage? He lives in Hoenn, for crying out loud!”  
  
“What does gay mean?”, Ryan asks adorably.  
  
“I’ll explain when you’re older, kid.”, I reply, shrugging.  
  
  
We return to the museum and find Cheren and Bianca sitting on a bench, looking very bored.  
  
“You’re back!”, Cheren enthuses, leaping up.  
  
“Did you get ‘em?”, Bianca asks.  
  
Burgh points to the metallic ball that Lenora clutches with both hands.  
  
“Well, we got the fake stone back”, I explain, “but Team Plasma got away.”  
  
“That’s a shame.”, Bianca says, “By the way, come over here. I wanna show you something.”  
  
“It’s really cool.”, Cheren adds, “Trust me.”  
  
“Well, you kids have your fun.”, Lenora says, smiling, “I’m just gonna go back into the museum, grab a little something for Emily as a reward for her efforts.”  
  
“I, for one, am going to go and have some lunch”, Burgh announces, “because I didn’t eat anything on the train over, and I am famished. Toodles, Lenora and company!”  
  
With that, Burgh strides off into the afternoon sun, still fiddling with his clothes.  
  
“So, Bianca, what was it you wanted to show me?”, I ask, taking my place on the bench.  
  
“It’s really neat.”, she says, “Give me your X-transceiver.”  
  
“Oh-kay.”, I reply uncertainly, taking the device off my wrist and giving it to her.  
  
“You see”, Bianca explains, fiddling with it, “Juniper, no offense to her, put training wheels on this thing. Dumbed it down. Locked us out of certain functions. Now, this thing isn’t just a data transfer device and a radio, because you can make the former the size of a potato chip, and the latter the size of your fingernail. As such, I figured that there had to be more to this little doohickey, and I had nothing better to do, so I started poking around in menus and such. I found some stuff Juniper had blocked off, and with the help of some stuff I have on my phone, well, I unblocked it.”  
  
“What did you find?”, I question, observing her as she pulls out her phone and starts working her magic.  
  
“I got access to - get this - a miniature scanning package. It only does thermal and X-ray, and neither is very long-range, but these things could be useful.”  
  
“Wait, it can give off X-rays?”, I say, taken aback, “It’s not gonna give me cancer or anything, is it?”  
  
“You might see me as kind of a ditz, Em, but even I could realize that nobody would design a product that could give you cancer.”  
  
“How did they even fit an x-ray machine in such a small package?”  
  
“From what I’ve figured out, it’s short-range, low-penetration. Like the dicks of most of the boys I’ve dated.”  
  
“How would you even know-“  
  
“I make educated guesses based on other factors.”  
  
She pauses, concentrating for a second.  
  
“And done!”, she announces triumphantly, “Now you should be able to use the scanning features on your X-transceiver.”  
  
“You did all that while talking to me?”, I ask, kind of amazed.  
  
“I’m a woman. I can multitask.”, she replies dryly.  
  
On that note, Bianca hands back the device, and Cheren beckons us towards the gym.  
  
 _Oh, yeah. These two have badges to win._  
  
  
As it turns out, one of the bookcases in Lenora’s battle arena actually slides back to reveal a small spectator area, where Bianca and I take our seats. The rules say we’re only allowed to have one Pokemon out of its ball each, so Leonard hangs contentedly around my neck and Bianca’s Munna floats serenely next to her. While we wait for Cheren to figure out the gym puzzle, I take another look at Lenora’s gift to me: a Water Stone. She said it was for Ryan, and he did appear rather gleeful when he saw it, but Cheren told me not to use it on him until he learns better moves. He gave the same advice to Bianca, in case she ever gets a Moon Stone for her Munna. I turn it over in my hands. Even in the dim light of the indoor arena, it shines and shimmers, not like it did in the sunlight when I first got it, but enough to be quite stunning nonetheless. I also take the opportunity to talk to Bianca about my gym battle. Cheren, being the intelligent, inquisitive sort, figures out Lenora’s puzzle fairly quickly, and strides down the stairs with a confident look on his face. With that Pignite of his, his confidence is well-founded.  
  
“Hello, challenger.”, Lenora says, before giving him the same spiel I got. Hawes once again serves as ref, and the battle is quickly underway. Cheren leads with Pignite, but quickly switches Roggenrola in and out again. With Pignite no longer intimidated, and Lenora faked out (the pig came in and easily shrugged off a Bite from Herdier), Cheren orders an Arm Thrust, and watches as Pignite pummels Herdier into oblivion with a series of rapid palm strikes. Even as Lenora readies her dreaded Watchog, Cheren remains confident, taking a Poke Ball from his bandolier and tossing it casually. From the ball, a slinky, menacing purple feline emerges, licking its paws.  
  
“Watchog, use Retaliate!”  
  
“Don’t give her the chance, Liepard! Fake Out!”  
  
Watchog readies a powerful punch, but Liepard, moving swiftly, leaps up and claps it on the ears, leaving red welts and causing the rodent to reflexively flinch.  
  
“Clever strategy, young man.”, Lenora comments, “With that Roggenrola of yours, I was expecting you to try and take the attack head-on, but, like your friend before you, you elected to neutralize the move instead.”  
  
“Less talking, more fighting.”, Cheren retorts, “Liepard, use Pursuit!”  
  
“Watchog, Retaliate again!”  
  
Watchdog doesn’t put as much power into the attack as before, but Liepard is frail, and its Pursuit is weak too. Glancing down at the display on his Pokedex, Cheren elects to switch Liepard out for Pignite, who winces when hit by Watchog’s attack, but is not hesitant to give it the same painful treatment as Herdier. Watchog collapses to the ground after three strikes. Pignite stands over its fallen foe with a stupid grin on its face as Cheren graciously accepts his badge and TM from Lenora. Hawes lets him into the spectators’ area and tells Bianca to return to the entrance to go through the puzzle. Cheren sits down next to me and allows his Pansage, the only Pokemon he didn’t use in his gym battle, to accompany him. We talk at length about our Gym Battles, with him barely able to contain his smugness at how easy he had it.  
  
 _I knew I made some kind of mistake letting him pick Tepig._  
  
Bianca takes rather a long time with Lenora’s puzzle, and when she does show up, she doesn’t exactly look elegant, with dust all over her light blue dress, and her white shoes in her hand.  
  
“Sorry about the look, miss.”, Bianca says, slipping on her shoes and brushing the dust off her dress, “There’s a lot of dust up there, and pushing the bookshelf and going down that narrow little staircase are a little tricky in heels.”  
  
“You sound like Elesa.”, Lenora remarks, sighing, “The sacrifices some people make to look pretty.”  
  
 _This woman gets me._  
  
“Anyway”, she continues, “welcome, challenger. I’m surprised you took so long.”  
  
“Well, the paper scraps kept telling me not to go a certain way, and I got lost a lot, and that’s how I got all this dust on me!”  
  
Lenora just nods.  
  
I’ll be kind and say Bianca’s battle didn’t go fantastically. Her Dewott was defeated fairly quickly by Lenora’s Herdier, and Bianca’s own Herdier barely survived. Said Herdier then got demolished by Watchog, which, due to its knowledge of Crunch, handily beat her Munna. Lenora says a few words about strength to a rather choked-up Bianca, who then rushes back up the stairs, clutching the balls of her fainted team.  
  
  
At the Pokemon Center, Cheren and I find Bianca sitting at a table, still in her outfit, but with her hair untied and disheveled.  
  
“You don’t need to say it.”, she murmurs, “I wasn’t strong enough, but I thought- I thought it was worth a try.”  
  
“You gave it your best, Bianca.”, Cheren says, placing a hand on her shoulder, “That’s all that matters. Tomorrow, we’ll help you train. Right, Emily?”  
  
“No.”, Bianca interrupts, brushing her hair out of her face, “You two go on without me. I can train by myself. The next Gym’s in Castelia, right? Take a train or something. The walk through the forest is really long, from what I’ve heard.”  
  
“How about we make a deal?”, Cheren suggests.  
  
“What do you mean?”, Bianca asks softly.  
  
“How about I stay behind and help you train, and Emily goes on ahead? Fair deal?”  
  
“I suppose so.”, Bianca replies, wiping off some of her makeup with a tissue.  
  
“What do you think, Em?”, Cheren continues.  
  
“I like making progress, so it sounds good to me.”, I reply earnestly, “Tell you what, I’ll call you guys as soon as I get to the Pokemon Center, and I’ll tell you what it’s like.”  
  
“That would be nice.”, Bianca comments, “For now, should we get dinner?”  
  
Cheren and I both nod in agreement.  
  
We eat in relative silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts for the most part. In my case, it’s the realization that tomorrow, I am heading to the biggest, busiest, most vibrant city in Unova. I’ve lived in a town of a few thousand people for most of my life! Only in the past week or so have I even experienced proper cities!  
  
 _I am not ready for this._  
  
 _Fuck it. I’m doing it anyway._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank the good people of the Nuzforums Discord for taking the time to read my run, and my excellent beta reader for this chapter, SilverDoe. 'Til next time.


	17. Chapter 16: Here For You

Chapter 16  
  
  
It is only upon my arrival at Nacrene City’s main train station that I realize I have no idea how to go about the process of taking a train. Which train do I take? Are the trains free? They can’t be. These things must be expensive to build and run. But, what do I know about trains? Nothing, that’s what. The only trains I know are the magical, romantic steam trains of children’s stories, not whatever the hell this is. The station bucks the Nacrene trend by being very dull in its colors, an assortment of dark blues and grays.  
  
Ticket Office. That sounds like a place to start. You need tickets for things, right? I walk up to one of the booths, where a man with a scraggly beard and a sagging face sits, clearly bored out of his mind. He doesn’t seem to have noticed me.  
  
“Hey, mister!” I say loudly, snapping him out of his stupor, “Is this where I can get a train ticket?”  
  
“What are you, some kind of dummy?” he snaps back, slamming his hands on the desk, “Of course this is where you get a ticket!”  
  
“No need to insult me. I just want a ticket.”  
  
“Well, where to?”  
  
“Uh, Castelia City?”  
  
“Where in Castelia City? The train from here stops at a lot of places there.”  
  
“You know what? I really don’t care in the slightest.”  
  
“Alright, Miss Bossypants.” he grumbles, “I’ll put you down for Grand Central.”  
  
“That sounds good.” I remark, “Sounds… big.”  
  
“Oh, you don’t know the half of it, kid. Now, take your ticket, pay and go.”  
  
The ticket is a small plastic card, which I slip into my pocket after handing over the requisite amount of money.  
  
“Oh, and before you go”, he says, gesturing to Leonard, who hangs lazily around my neck, “you aren’t allowed Pokemon on the trains. They gotta stay in their balls.”  
  
“Sorry, Leonard.” I sigh, “Back in the ball for you.”  
  
He clambers down onto the ground. I press the button on his ball to slurp him up, before replacing the ball in my bag.  
  
The next obstacle I come to is the weird spinning metal thing. I don’t even know what it’s called. I’ve never seen one before. How do I use it? It doesn’t budge when I try to push against it. I only know it spins because I saw someone else make it spin.  
  
 _Oh, hey. There’s a conveniently ticket-sized slot in the machine._  
  
I slide the plastic card in, and the machine beeps before spitting the card back out. This time, when I try pushing against the metal thing, it spins easily, allowing me passage. Next thing to do is to find my train. Fortunately for me, Grand Central must be a pretty popular destination, as its platform is easy to find. I stand on the platform tapping my feet for a couple of minutes until the train arrives. It’s nothing more than a few blue-and-gray boxes on wheels linked together, with doors that slide open automatically. I take a seat on the left side of the train. The way I figure it, I didn’t see any train tracks running through Pinwheel Forest, so the rail line must hug the coast instead. This spot will give me a better view. The train fills quickly and begins to slowly trundle out of the station, heading southwest towards the coastline. The train rumbles slowly along the coast, stopping at various small towns, but finally, after what must have been at least a couple of hours, it rounds a headland and Castelia City comes into view.  
  
My first thought is that it is the most majestic thing I have ever seen in my entire, up-until-recently- pitiful life. And, that’s all I can think about, really. The majesty of it all. The tall buildings whose upper floors tickle the clouds, the rows of docks along the southern edge where giant ships berth, the high towers of the massive bridge off to my right. At the next station, I’m almost tempted to get off the train, run to the seaside, and get a better view of it. Let the Pokemon see it too. Soon enough, the train tracks start rising. The train climbs up onto the huge bridge I saw earlier, sailing across it as I look down at the boats on the wide river that lazily flows into the ocean. After the bridge, the train dives into a tunnel, and the world outside the window goes pitch-black.  
  
  
 _That is a lot of gold._  
  
Such is my first impression of Grand Central Terminal (the robot lady in the train’s speakers was kind enough to give its full name.) It’s not my idea of beauty; it’s too gaudy, its designer too vain, but boy, is it eye-catching, not to mention eye-straining. It’s not really gold, more of a golden stone type of deal, but it’s still impressive. And then, there’s the sheer quantity of people, even though it’s just two platforms right now. I sort of just stand on the train, dumbfounded by it all, until a concerned passenger nudges me.  
  
“Hey, kiddo.” he says, snapping me out of it, “Train doesn’t go any further. You gonna get off or what?”  
  
I silently stumble off the train, trying to forget this awkward encounter already. Going up an escalator brings me to the main area of Grand Central, which is huge and swarming with people. I find myself being jostled around by corporate types in dark suits, ladies in colorful skirts and dresses, and all manner of other people. I’ve never seen such a large congregation of humans ever, at any point in my life. I find my way to another set of spinning metal things, which are different in that they just take my ticket without giving it back, but the same in that they let me pass once they’ve recognized my ticket. I suppose I have no use for the ticket anymore. I fumble my way through the exit and onto the street, where I am swallowed by a heaving mass of bodies. I can barely see the station building through the all-absorbing throng, but I do catch glimpses of the great, gaudy, gold edifice. Alright. Castelia Problem Numero Uno: I have no idea where the Pokemon Center is. Maybe I should have tried to find a map when I was in the station. I let Leonard and Ryan out. Leonard makes me feel comfortable and Ryan is from Castelia. He probably knows the place pretty well. Leonard, upon seeing the giant crowd of people, coils himself quite tightly around my neck.  
  
“I don’t like all the people, Emily.” he mumbles, “They scare me.”  
  
“Well, I’m not much of a fan either, Leonard.” I reply, grimacing, “Also, try not to strangle me, would you? You’re wrapped around my neck a little too tight for my liking.”  
  
“Okay. Sorry” he apologizes meekly.  
  
“Is this Castelia?” Ryan asks, bouncing up and down, “Are we in- ow! Who the hell kicked me?”  
  
“Oh, Mew, did I just kick something?” a feminine voice squeals, “Oh, I hope it didn’t scuff my shoe. These were expensive!”  
  
 _Jeez, woman. Get your priorities in order._  
  
I look up to see a redhead businesswoman in a black skirt suit and heels, who is apologizing furiously to Ryan.  
  
“Alright, little Pokemon.” she coos, “Are you lost? Do you have a trainer?”  
  
“Yes, he does.” I grumble, crossing my arms, “A trainer who is very annoyed that you thought about your damn shoe before you thought about the wellbeing of my monkey.”  
  
“Hey, it’s not my fault they cost two hundred dollars!” she retorts.  
  
“It kind of is, though.” I say, “You could have bought cheaper ones. Hey, if you’re not too mad at me, I need to ask for directions”  
  
“Oh, are you new in town?”  
  
“Well, I just came out of the train station, so, yeah, I suppose so. I’m looking for the Pokemon Center.”  
  
“You’re gonna have to be a bit more specific, kid,” the lady says knowingly, “because Castelia City has five Pokemon Centers.”  
  
“Wow.” I utter, “That’s insane. I’ll take whichever one’s closest.”  
  
“That would be the central one.” she replies, “It’s pretty close to here, from what I remember. My son wants to go on a Pokemon journey, so we’ve been figuring this stuff out together. Just head.. let me think- yes! Two blocks north, take a left, then go another block in that direction. Huge building, red roof, like, twelve stories tall. Can’t miss it.”  
  
“A twelve-story Pokemon Center? Incredible.”  
  
“Oh, that’s tiny by Castelia standards. You’ve seen nothing yet. Anyway, I’m on my lunch break, and I gotta get back to work. Bye, kid!”  
  
“Thank you!” I call as she strides away.  
  
“I coulda told you the way to the Center.” Ryan grumbles, “Or you coulda taken a cab.”  
  
“I like walking.” I reply, shrugging, “Sue me.”  
  
  
Walking is a lot less enjoyable when you’re doing it with what seems like ten million other people. I’m constantly being jostled around, lost in a sea of shirts, blouses, jackets and dresses due to my not-exactly-towering height. Ryan perches precariously on the top of my head, acting as my guide. Castelia is impressive, with its skyscrapers tall and imposing but built in such a way that they don’t cast long shadows, meaning the streets are bright and airy instead of being pits of darkness. It’s hard to shake the whole concrete-canyon feeling, though. There is a lot of light and brightness here, with the yellow taxis and the flashing advertisements. The only solitary people I see are the buskers on street corners, playing instruments for tips. I toss a couple of coins at a particularly skilled guitarist. I’d love to learn how to play the guitar someday. Maybe after this whole journey business is done. Back to my original point, everyone else seems to move in giant herds. After stumbling through the crowded streets for a while, I finally catch sight of the Pokemon Center. It has the traditional white walls and red roof but is huge, and the ground floor’s walls are floor-to-ceiling glass.  
  
 _So much for anyone’s privacy._  
  
I pass through the sliding glass doors into the relative peace and quiet of the Center. It’s still packed with people, but it’s calmer than the streets outside. I like it better here. There are two sets of doors, and two counters with two Nurse Joys. I approach the one directly in front of me and ask for a room.  
  
“Sure thing!” she chirps, “Here’s a room key. Room number’s on it. Thank you for using the Pokemon Center!”  
  
I look at the key, which is a fancy keycard. _Room 115. Huh._  
  
The building has an elevator, but I’m only on the first floor, so I take the stairs. I walk down a long corridor before finding my room, slotting in the keycard, and entering a spacious, well-kept room with a single bed that looks like what I assume nice hotels look like. I mean, there’s gotta be something wrong with it! It’s a Pokemon Center room, for Arceus’ sake! Lights… all work. TV… works. Bed.. is comfy. Water runs… hot and cold. No unidentifiable stains - son of a bitch! I’ve found the one well-kept Pokemon Center room in the entire world! I throw my bag down, let my Pokemon out, and immediately, because I promised I would, video-call Bianca.  
  
“Emily! Hi!” Bianca squeals, a smile spreading across her face, “How’s it going?”  
  
“It’s going alright.” I reply modestly, “Ryan got kicked in the face, and I had to ask for directions to the Pokemon Center, but otherwise, we’re fine.”  
  
“Emily, I know you try your hardest to be like a man, but asking for directions is fine! You don’t know everything, especially in a big city like Castelia.”  
  
“Alright, alright! Anyway, how’s training going?”  
  
Bianca grins excitedly, “It’s going great! We’re out in Pinwheel Forest, where you and Cheren were training. Cheren says that training’s going great, and I should be on course to challenge Lenora again later this afternoon. We’ll join you in Castelia tomorrow, I promise.”  
  
“That sounds friggin’ awesome, Bianca!” I enthuse, “Great work.”  
  
“Hey, one thing. You forgot to fill me in on what happened yesterday with Team Plasma.”  
  
“Does Cheren wanna listen, too?”  
  
“Sure, why not? Cheren! Get over here!”  
  
I hear footsteps on Bianca’s end, and sure enough, Cheren comes into view.  
  
“Hey, Emily!” he says, waving, “How’s Castelia?”  
  
“Very… hectic.” I reply, “On the upside, I’ve got the one not-awful Pokemon Center room in the whole damn region, maybe the world.”  
  
“That’s neat.” he comments, “Anyway, what are we talking about?”  
  
“What happened yesterday. You know, all the Team Plasma stuff.” I answer.  
  
I fill my friends in on the details, listening to them ooh and aah at what was honestly quite a boring story until the final part.  
  
“So that’s how it went down.” Cheren muses.  
  
“It’s a miracle you didn’t get hurt.” Bianca comments.  
  
“Anyway, from what I gathered, all you two did was sit around and look pretty.” I remark, shrugging.  
  
“I mean, I’m not sure about me,” Cheren says, “but Bianca looked fantastic yesterday.”  
  
“Don’t give me that, Cheren.” Bianca replies snappily, “We all know which one of us you really love.”  
  
Cheren blushes furiously, “W-what? No! You be quiet!”  
  
“I’m right here, you know. I can hear you.” I note, “And on that awkward note, I bid you two farewell. Good luck with the training. See you tomorrow.”  
  
“Bye, Emily!”, they chorus.  
  
I put away my phone and stretch out on the bed. I did not do a lot of walking today, but it was very stressful.  
  
  
 _Oh, this bed is so comfortable. I love it!_  
  
“You should call your mother.” Leonard nags, slithering up to my side, “I’m sure she’d love to know how you’re doing.”  
  
“You’re not my conscience, Leonard.” I grumble, “Be quiet.”  
  
“You really should, though.” he remarks, flicking me with his tail, “She probably misses you a whole lot.”  
  
“When did you stop being cute, Leonard?”  
  
“When you started being irresponsible. I’ll shut up if you call her.”  
  
“Leonard is correct, you know.” Wolfgang adds knowingly, “Familial connections are important.”  
  
“You’re one to talk, Fritz.” Alice comments.  
  
Wolfgang sighs, “I suppose so. I did leave home at rather a young age. But one could say that, thanks to _Frau_ Emily, we all did.”  
  
“Try not to make me feel bad about it, Wolfgang.” I note, sinking deeper into the soft bed.  
  
“I miss my mom sometimes. Late at night, you know?” Kelly says, stretching.  
  
“What did I fucking say?” I hiss, “Also, fine, I’ll call Mom.”  
  
“Yay!” Leonard cheers, licking my cheek.  
  
 _Back to his cute self, I see._  
  
Mom picks up the phone almost instantly.  
  
“Emily? Is that you?”  
  
“Yes, Mom. It’s me. How are you?”  
  
“Oh, I’m fine. The question is, how are you?”  
  
“Oh, I’m doing fantastic. I reached Castelia City today.”  
  
“That’s incredible, dear! What’s it like?”  
  
“Oh, it’s insane. So many people! Would you believe that there are five Pokemon Centers, and that the one I’m in is twelve stories tall?” I enthuse.  
  
“If your father hadn’t told me the same thing in his stories about his journey back when we were still together, then no, I wouldn’t believe it for a second.”  
  
“Hey, why the sudden mention of Dad?” I ask, confused.  
  
“Oh, you know, just… an anecdote.” she replies quickly.  
  
“You two talked recently, didn’t you?”  
  
“You’re being very accusatory, young lady.” she snaps, “What on earth makes you think that?”  
  
“Well, you only bring Dad up when you two have talked.” I point out, knowing my mother well, “What did he say to you?”  
  
“Alright, alright.” she admits, “We talked on the phone yesterday. He’s having a grand old time in Johto. He’s got a new girlfriend, would you believe it?”  
  
“What is that, his fifth one?”  
  
“He’s doing better than me, and I’ll admit to being a little jealous. Anyway, I told him you’d gone off on your journey, and he got mad at me for not telling him about it earlier. I was kind of hoping you’d mentioned it to him at some point.”  
  
“I guess I kind of did, when he called on my birthday, but I only mentioned it in passing. I didn’t act like it was a big deal or anything. Also, if he wanted to know, why didn’t he call me yesterday?”  
  
“I told him that you’d make the effort to call him. Anyway, I didn’t want him to disturb you. You were probably off on some grand adventure.”  
  
“Do I have to call him? Really?” I ask, a shakiness in my voice, “I mean, I try, but afterwards, I always- you know.”  
  
“If you really don’t want to, you don’t-”  
  
“No. I’ll… I’ll be strong.” I reply firmly, “I’ll do it, because you shouldn’t have to feel the pain alone.”  
  
“Thank you, Emily. You’re a very brave girl.”  
  
“Thanks, Mom. Anyway, I have a hell of an experience to tell you about.”  
  
I fill Mom in on the events of the previous afternoon.  
  
“Why on earth would you do all that?” Mom questions, shocked, “You should have left the matter to the police.”  
  
“The cops wouldn’t have believed us if we’d told them the story.” I reply, shrugging, “Anyway, we got the stone back, and Lenora didn’t want to get the authorities involved.”  
  
“By the way, you’re not kidding?” she asks, “It really was Team Plasma? As in, the Pokemon rights activists? I saw one of that Ghetsis fellow’s speeches on TV. He seemed so genuine.”  
  
“Well, believe it or not, they’re bad people. I’ve seen them in action, beating up and stealing Pokemon.”  
  
“You mean you’ve been taking them on by yourself?” she asks, exasperated.  
  
“Well, Bianca was there the first time. Anyway, someone’s gotta do it, and it sure as hell isn’t gonna be the cops.”  
  
“You shouldn’t try and be a hero in these kinds of situations, Emily. If you’re not going to leave it to law enforcement, then at least leave it to someone more experienced than you.”  
  
“I’ll try, Mom.” I lie through my teeth, “I’ll try.”  
  
“Anyway, now that we’ve had that argument, you should call your father. He’s staying up late waiting for you to call. If there’s one thing we agree on, it’s you. We might be divorced, but you’re still our daughter. Talk to him, okay?”  
  
I sigh, “Fine. I will. Love you, mom.”  
  
“Love you too, sweetie. Take care! Goodbye!”  
  
“Bye.”  
  
  
After hanging up, Leonard congratulates me on talking to my mother, and I thumb through my contacts before finding a name. Rhys Sanders. Dad. He takes a little while to pick up.  
  
“Hello?” he says gruffly, “Emily? Izzat you?”  
  
“Yes, Dad.” I reply dryly, “It’s me.”  
  
He lets out a bellowing laugh, “Oh, it’s been too long since I’ve talked to you, my darling!”  
  
“It’s been, like, a few weeks, dad. We talked on my sixteenth birthday.”  
  
“Oh, yeah! You’re sixteen now! Yes, yes, sweet sixteen. Your mother told me you’d gone off on a Pokemon journey without telling me!”  
  
“I suppose I did.” I admit.  
  
“Your mother told me you picked Snivy. I told her I didn’t raise my daughter to be a Snivy-picking pussy.”  
  
 _You son of a bitch. Fuck you._  
  
“For the last eight years, you haven’t raised me, period.” I snap.  
  
“All the child support I’m paying would beg to differ, young lady.” he strikes back.  
  
“Fine, fine, fine. Anyway, my Snivy is a Servine now, his name is Leonard, and he’s the best Pokemon I could ever ask for.” I utter defiantly, even though the pain of having to listen to my father is eating away at my insides.  
  
Leonard licks my cheek again, smiling afterwards.  
  
“Well, I had a big, strong Emboar.” Dad retorts, “Nothin’ like your weak-ass grass snake. I couldn’t talk to him like you apparently can, but he was still my best friend. Pokemon are like that. Loyal little bastards, too.”  
  
“I can’t really argue with that.” I reply, shrugging.  
  
“Damn right you can’t.” my father replies triumphantly, “So, you been taking on gyms? Showing the world that you’re your father’s daughter?”  
  
“I might be your daughter,” I say, trying to be strong and hold back my emotions, “but I’m my own person now. I don’t want to live in your shadow. But yes, I have been challenging gyms, and beating them.”  
  
“Good girl!”, my father enthuses, seemingly forgetting the insult I just threw his way, the jackass. “How many badges?”  
  
“Two so far, gunning for my third.” I explain, “I’m in Castelia City at the moment.”  
  
“You know, darling, after your mother told me you’d gone off on your journey, I looked on the internet to check all the Gym Leaders you’d be facing. Turns out, all but two of them have changed since my youth, and the two that haven’t changed look a whole lot older.”  
  
“Lenora and…” I guess. I know Lenora’s old, but who else?  
  
“Drayden. Drayden Hanson. The dragon man.” Dad explains, “My father knew him, you know? They were war buddies in ‘Nam. That’s all Dad ever told me. He didn’t like talking about the war very much.”  
  
“Huh. Interesting. Never knew that. Grandpa never even told me he fought in a war.”  
  
“I figure you were too young to know, and he passed away before you got old enough. How long’s it been now? Six years?”  
  
“I still miss him.” I sigh, “Even after you left, he still made the effort to try and be a part of my life.”  
  
“Musta been tough for him. He was dying. Drank too much, wrecked his liver. Arceus, son of a-“  
  
“Why’d you bring it up if you knew it was going to hurt?”  
  
“Don’t tell me what to do.” he grumbles.  
  
“I never planned to.”  
  
“Hey,” he continues, as if nothing ever happened, because that’s so him, “let’s put this behind us. New Castelia Gym Leader’s that Burgh fella, right? Uses Bug-types.”  
  
“Yeah. I know.”  
  
“Well, I never did have much respect for Bug-types, so you better kick his ass. Got it?”  
  
“Alright. I will.”  
  
“Thanks for calling me. See you around, kiddo.”  
  
“See you, dad. Bye.”  
  
“Bye.”  
  
“Who was that?”, Wolfgang asks immediately.  
  
“That was my father, Wolfgang.” I reply indignantly, already feeling the wave of emotion building up inside me. “You ask too many questions, you know that?”  
  
“I prefer to think of myself as inquisitive, I’ll have you know.” he snaps, “What kind of man was your father, anyway?”  
  
“He left my mom for a stupid reason.” I grumble, starting to instinctively curl into a ball. “I was eight years old. All you- all you need to know.”  
  
“ _Mein Arceus._ ” he breathes, “I- I shouldn’t have asked.”  
  
“Exactly, dumbass.” I sniff, curled into my ball now, “Why’d I talk to that jackass for so long, huh? Why? Why’d I listen to him?”  
  
I’ve never been alone after one of Dad’s calls. I always had Mom, or Cheren, or Bianca. The Pokemon don’t count. They’ve barely been with me for any time at all. I… I can’t do this. Not now.  
  
But I have to.  
  
Everything just shatters. I let it do that. I rock from side to side, trembling, occasionally letting out a sob.  
  
“Why are you like this, Emily?” Leonard asks meekly, “You seemed so confident when you were talking to him.”  
  
“I’ve… I’ve learned to control it, Leonard. To not break down until I’m done talking to him. And I’ve always had someone there for me.”  
  
“I’m here for you.” he replies earnestly.  
  
“But you’re not- damn it!”  
  
Leonard’s cold-bloodedness makes him not great at snuggling, by virtue of him being really cold, but I don’t care. I need someone, and right now, with Leonard nuzzling me and telling me that things are going to be alright, he’s that someone.  
  
“I’m sorry about what I said.” Wolfgang adds, hopping along the ground towards me and looking up sorrowfully, “I am here for you too.”  
  
“While I am disinclined to agree with Squire Wolfgang”, Lewis comments, in that funny way of his, “as your loyal servant, I am also here for you should you need emotional support.”  
  
“I was your first catch, and I’ll be damned if I’m not here for you.” Kelly remarks, “Alice, Ryan, you two with us?”  
  
“Of course!” Alice chirps.  
  
“Duh!” Ryan says, climbing onto the bed and joining Leonard on top of me.  
  
With Alice helping Wolfgang up into the pile, everyone is on me in some way or another. Kelly is curled up beside me, sharing her body heat. Alice gently strokes my head with a wing, wiping the occasional tear when she has to. Wolfgang, Lewis and Ryan have nestled themselves in with Leonard, forming a large mass of bodies over my torso. They all take turns saying words of encouragement, telling me I’m going to be okay.  
  
“Tell me how you feel, girl.” Kelly says.  
  
“I hate talking to that bastard.” I stammer in between more frequent sobs, “I hate listening to my own voice, and I hate that I hate that.”  
  
I clench my hands into fists.  
  
“Dammit!” I yell, “I can’t even fucking speak properly now!”  
  
“You are fine, young miss.” Wolfgang assures me.  
  
“I… I hate what I become when I talk to him. I hate forcing myself to agree with him.”  
  
“Why not speak your mind, milady?”, Lewis asks.  
  
“Because I’m scared of him. He’s a scary man.”  
  
I hold Leonard closer to me.  
  
“What exactly can he do to you?”, Lewis continues.  
  
“He can- I don’t wanna find out, okay?” I sob.  
  
“You know what, Em?”, Kelly says, nuzzling me.  
  
“What?”  
  
“We’re here for you. Always.”  
  
And with that, we sit in our pile, silent but for my quiet crying, until the pain goes away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again to my amazing beta SilverDoe for finding everything wrong with this chapter. This one got a bit emotional, didn't it? I like that. 'Til next time.


	18. Chapter 17: Gangsters

Chapter 17  
  
  
“Stolen?” I yell through the phone, “The fuck do you mean, stolen?”  
  
“I mean,” Cheren explains, “that Bianca’s Munna was stolen, we think it was Team Plasma, we called the cops but they brushed us off, Bianca’s a wreck, and the two of us and our new friend are coming to you. Where are you, anyway?”  
  
“Central Pokemon Center, Room 115. Door’ll be locked, so knock.”  
  
Last night, Bianca was all too happy to announce to me her victory against Lenora, but upon her and Cheren’s arrival in Castelia City, things seem to have taken a definitive turn for the worse.  
  
Half an hour after Cheren’s call, three people show up at the door: a quietly weeping Bianca, Cheren, with his arm around her, and a girl of about my height, but with a more youthful face, brown skin, and a positively absurd amount of purple hair.  
  
“Emily!” Cheren says, breathless. “So glad to see you.”  
  
“Who’s purple-hair?” I ask.  
  
“Oh, that’s Iris.” he replies.  
  
“‘Sup, girl?” she remarks, “Like the man said, name’s Iris, and you, you must be Emily. Oh, your boy Cheren’s told me so much about’cha, like how he’s secretly in love with ya and-“  
  
Cheren blushes bright red and makes a hissing noise.  
  
“Oh, was I not supposed to say that?” Iris says, “Sorry. Well, cat’s outta the bag now. Whoopsie.”  
  
Her accent is reasonably Unovan, but there’s something off about it, perhaps a foreign quirk she can’t quite shake, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out what it is or why she would have it.  
  
“You guys are free to use this room, I guess.” I say awkwardly, not really knowing what to do in this situation. “I’ll give you the key if you all promise to stay put.”  
  
“Coolio.” Iris replies, “Imma call Burgh now, see if he can help madam Bianca out.”  
  
“I’m gonna head out into the city,” I explain. “See what I can figure out. See you guys.”  
  
Downstairs in the Pokemon Centre, I let out my team.  
  
“Okay, here’s the deal. Bianca’s Munna was stolen, we think Team Plasma did it, and we have no clue where they’ve taken it. Anyone got any ideas?”  
  
“Ooh, I do, I do!” Ryan squeals, “I know a guy. He knows every place in the city. I’m sure he’ll know where Team Plasma’s hideout is!”  
  
“Alright. Ryan, you lead. Leonard, with me. Everyone else, back in their balls.”  
  
Following Ryan through the crowded streets of Castelia is difficult, but eventually we come off the streets and into a shifty-looking alleyway. We round a corner in the alley and see, standing in the middle of it, an imposing Blaziken.  
  
“Oi?” he shouts in a thick Irish accent, “The fuck are you doing back here?”  
  
“My friend Ryan over here led me to you,” I explain, “This is his fault, not mine.”  
  
“Wait, did you say-“  
  
His eyes dart to the diminutive Panpour.  
  
“Well I’ll be fucked.” says the Blaziken, “You found Ryan, and- mother of Arceus, you’re talking to me and I can understand you perfectly. You can understand me too, right? Or am I fucking insane?”  
  
“Um, yeah?” I utter awkwardly.  
  
“Holy hell,” he breathes, pushing a door open, “Fellio! Al! There’s a girl outside, she’s got Ryan, and get this, she’s a talker!”  
  
  
“O’Leary?” asks Ryan.  
  
“You bet your arse, monkey boy.” he replies.  
  
“You two know each other?” I question.  
  
“Indeed, lassie,” explains the intimidating Fire-type, “For a good while.”  
  
Out of the door emerge two figures, a tall, lanky, olive-skinned man, and a humongous steel beast that has to hunch over to get through the door.  
  
 _Aggron, my memory tells me._  
  
“Ryan?” says the man.  
  
“Al!” Ryan squeals, rushing up to him and leaping into his outstretched arms.  
  
“Oh, I missed you, you little street monkey, you!” Al enthuses, holding Ryan, _my Ryan_ , tightly against his chest.  
  
“Boss?” a voice from inside the door shouts, “What the hell is going on out there?”  
  
“Gimme a minute!” Al yells, slamming the door.  
  
He breathes deeply.  
  
“Alright, now that we’re all alone, let’s introduce ourselves, shall we?” Al suggests.  
  
I grumble, “Yeah, let’s. I’m Emily, and I’m wondering what the hell you’re doing with my monkey.”  
  
“Full name, please?” insists Al.  
  
“Like, middle names, or-“  
  
“Just give the man your name,” says the Aggron in a deep, booming voice.  
  
“Fine.” I mutter, “Emily Rose Sanders. Happy?”  
  
 _I hate my middle name. So girly._  
  
“I’m Big Al.” Al replies, “And no, you’re not getting any more than that from me.”  
  
“Then why’d I have to say my full name?”  
  
“Because I have an Aggron and a Blaziken, and you ain’t got shit,” he answers. “Now, let’s take this inside, Emily Rose.”  
  
“Don’t call me that!” I holler.  
  
Al leads us through the door, which has a sign above it reading “Cafe Sonata.” Upon entering the cafe, I am overwhelmed by the smells of Italian food and cigar smoke. The walls are red, with an odd, eclectic collection of musical instruments and guns hanging on them. The room is lit by candles, and a few dim lightbulbs. There’s a bar over which food is served, and a door in the back leading to who-knows-where. Many old men in suit jackets sit around, smoking cigars, playing cards, and having amicable conversations. Al and I look to be the youngest ones here.  
  
“Welcome to Cafe Sonata.” Al announces with a flourish.  
  
“Nice place.” I comment.  
  
“I try my best.” he remarks, shrugging.  
  
“So, O’Leary tells me you’re a talker. Can talk to Pokemon, I mean.”  
  
“Yeah,” I reply, “I suppose I am.”  
  
“Now that we’ve got that cleared up, let me ask you a question,” he poses, as I notice his thick Castelian accent, “Where in the flyin’ fuck did you find my Arceus-damn monkey?”  
  
“You mean Ryan?”  
  
“Do you have any other fuckin’ monkeys I don’t know about?” he snaps.  
  
“Okay, okay!” I say defensively, “I adopted him outside Striaton City.”  
  
“So he got picked up by adoption people,” Al mutters, scratching his chin, “That figures.”  
  
 _There’s something off about this place, and this man. Maybe it’s the guns on the walls. Maybe it’s all the old men, one of whom called Al “boss”. Maybe it’s the “Big” Al puts before his name. The hell is with these guys?_  
  
“Hey, you said you were a talker,” says Al, turning to face me, “I was wondering if it was just the talking, or, you know, something else?”  
  
“First my full name, now this?” I complain, crossing my arms, “Why have you gotta know so much about me?”  
  
“I dunno.” he muses, “Just wondering whether or not we had something in common.”  
  
“You- you don’t mean-“ I stammer, “Son of a bitch!”  
  
“You wonder why I only have two Pokemon?” he asks.  
  
“Well, no, not until you mentioned it?” I reply awkwardly, “Did you-“  
  
“Lost four of ‘em in one go, yes. Felt like I was about to die. You wanna know what it feels like?”  
  
“Not particularly.” I answer.  
  
“I take it you haven’t felt it yet, then,” mutters Al, “and I hope to Arceus you never have to. It feels like the worst headache you’ve ever had. Something about Infinity bonds breaking. I tried researching it once, but I couldn’t make head nor tail of what I found.”  
  
“Where’d you lose them?” I ask.  
  
“In Hoenn, to a gym leader named Winona.” explains Al, inviting me to take a seat at an empty table, “She was young back then, didn’t really know what she was doing. A friend of mine gave me a warning, but I forgot it. She could barely control her Pokemon. They ripped my team to pieces. I’ve forgotten their names and their faces, bleached them from my memory. But I’ll never forget how it felt to lose them. Fellio - that’s the Aggron - and O’Leary barely escaped with their lives.”  
  
“Damn.” I utter, a little dumbstruck, “What happened next?”  
  
“Well, I sat on my ass for four years - my mom didn’t have the money for the tests, so I went on my journey at 14, without knowing about my condition, and then something I can’t tell you about happened, and now I’m here.”  
  
“What do you mean, something you can’t tell me about?”  
  
“I mean something I can’t fuckin’ tell you about,” he snaps.  
  
  
As I glance around the cafe, one of the old men catches my eye.  
  
“You have his eyes.” he mutters in an Italian accent.  
  
“What did you just say?” I ask, more than a little confused.  
  
“You remind me of someone I used to know.” he continues cryptically.  
  
“Who are you?” I wonder.  
  
“No, no, no, don’t - don’t talk to him, he’s crazy.” Al says, pushing me forward.  
  
“Haven’t told the girl your secrets yet, eh, Al?” the man retorts, “Want to protect her innocent little soul?”  
  
Al doesn’t respond to this.  
  
“She’s wearing a leather jacket and combat boots, and she went on a Pokemon journey despite having Nuzlocke.” remarks the old man, gesturing with his hands, “She’s kind of a badass. She deserves to know.”  
  
“Alright,” Alex sighs, “but before I spill my secrets, I spill yours, okay, Gio?”  
  
“Fine, fine.” Gio grumbles.  
  
“This man’s name is Giovanni Ricci.” Al reveals, “That tell you all you need to know?”  
  
 _Giovanni - son of a bitch!_  
  
“You’re - you were - you were Team Rocket!” I stammer, shocked, “You were their leader! What the hell are you doing here?”  
  
“At the end of my story, I will explain.” Giovanni says matter-of-factly, “Thing is, that will involve Al revealing his secret.”  
  
“Don’t make me do this, Gio!” Al complains, “She’s just a kid!”  
  
“Fuck you.” Giovanni drawls, “You’re barely out of diapers compared to me. Anyway, my story.”  
  
I take a seat, and listen.  
  
“Now, as you know, for a long time, I was the leader of Team Rocket, a criminal organisation in the Kanto region. That is, of course, until I was felled by the legendary Pokemon Trainer, Red. By defeating me in our final battle, he destroyed my pride. I disbanded Team Rocket and turned myself in to the authorities. Since I was nice enough to turn myself in, they gave me a fairly short prison sentence. You know, only a few decades!”  
  
He lets out a huge belly laugh.  
  
“Anyway,” he continues, “since I was such a good boy in prison, they let me out on parole ten years early. Now I’m off my parole, busy re-integrating myself into society. That’s why I’m here. I help Al with - what is it that you do for a living again, Al?”  
  
“I’m a businessman.” Al grumbles.  
  
“Tell the lovely young lady your real job,” says Giovanni.  
  
“Okay, okay!” Al snaps, “I’m - don’t hate me, because you seem like a nice enough young woman - I’m a gangster.”  
  
“What the fuck?” I yell, “A gangster?”  
  
“Head gangster, actually.” Al explains, “I think it’s time you heard the part of my story I can’t tell you about.”  
  
I sit in stunned silence.  
  
“You see, when I had just turned eighteen, conveniently, my father, the former head of the Castelia Mafia, was dying. My mother had taken me to Hoenn when I was very young, to get me away from the family business so I could live a halfway normal childhood. Of course, with my father dying, and me being next in line, duty called. My mother, oh, she fought for it to be anyone but me, but everyone figured that the weird, nerdy kid whose two best friends were Pokemon was the best choice for the new don. I was inaugurated on my nineteenth birthday, and I’ve been doing this for the past five years or so.”  
  
“Okay. Okay.” I breathe, my voice shaky, “I just - I just need some information from you, because Ryan said you could give it to me, and then I’m out. I’ll never see you again. I’ll forget you ever existed. I’ll forget the day I thought I could trust a fucking Mafia don!”  
  
“Emily Rose Sanders-” he starts.  
  
“Don’t fucking call me that!” I holler, tears forming in my eyes, “I’ve already had a very bad day, considering my best friend’s Pokemon was stolen by Team Plasma, and I feel awful for her!”  
  
“Relax, kiddo.” Al says, trying to calm me down, “Before you leave, I want you to know that - actually, you, me and Giovanni are gonna have this discussion in private. Come with me.”  
  
“No!” I spit, “I refuse!”  
  
“Hey, kid.” Giovanni interrupts, “Wanna see something funny?”  
  
“What do you-“  
  
Giovanni’s jacket has been unzipped this whole time, and now he whips it open, and I flinch away because _ew, creepy old man alert!_  
  
I look back tentatively to see that he is clothed under the jacket, thank Arceus, and that he is pulling out a small white flash drive.  
  
“This, my dear lady, is the Flash TM.” He smiles, “You get it?”  
  
I grin, taking the TM, “You son of a bitch, Giovanni.”  
  
“This TM has two uses. In battle, using it will cause your Pokemon to emit a blinding flash of light at their opponent. The blindness makes it trickier for your opponent to land moves, as you can imagine. It’s not that useful, though. Out of battle, however it can be used to turn your Pokemon into an organic flashlight of sorts. Good for exploring caves. Could you believe that, back in Kanto, Flash is an HM?”  
  
“Not the greatest move for your Pokemon to be stuck with, is it?” I remark.  
  
“No, it is not.” replies Giovanni.  
  
“Now that you two are done, can we all talk in private?” Al grumbles.  
  
“Fine.” I sigh.  
  
  
Al leads the two of us into a back room, where we all take seats. I am visibly antsy.  
  
“Let the man speak, Emily.” Giovanni says, placing a hand on my shoulder.  
  
“Now, here’s the thing, kid.” Al explains calmly, “I’m a Nuzlocker, just like you. I’ve known the fear you feel, the fear of your friends dying. I also want you to know that I hate my job. I don’t want to be a gangster. I’ve hidden this from almost everyone for five years, and I’m only telling you because I have a level of empathy for you, and I trust you. I hope that trust isn’t misplaced.”  
  
“Why do you trust me?” I snap back, “Why would you want to help me?”  
  
He draws a handgun from somewhere, and I flinch back into my chair.  
  
“See this?” he says, gesturing with the firearm, “You think I’m ruthless, don’t you? You think I’m just like every gangster you see on TV or in the movies, that I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse, that I’ll bust a cap in your ass. The thing is, I like you. Giovanni likes you, and I trust his judgement. Ryan likes you, and I like Ryan. O’Leary seems to like you. Fellio doesn’t seem to hate you, and he hates pretty much everyone. Comes with being a seven-foot-tall steel murder-beast, you see.”  
  
“Why should Giovanni liking me matter?” I ask, “He was, like, the biggest, baddest gangster in the world back in the day!”  
  
“I think you’re misunderstanding me,” notes Giovanni, “I am not a bad man. Not anymore. I used to be, used to think that absolute power was the only way to gain any respect in this world. In prison, I learned a valuable lesson.”  
  
“Don’t drop the soap?” I remark.  
  
Giovanni stifles a laugh before continuing, “I learned that the best way to get ahead in this world is just to be a good person. Being a good person is what got me out of prison, and it’s what brought me here. I’m trying to teach Al how to be more… legitimate, is that the word?”  
  
“I try not to do any crazy shit.” explains Al, “Mainly, I do protection. You see, in this city, all the cops are up north, protecting the President and shit. Down here, lotsa people have to look to… alternative means if they want to keep themselves and their property safe. They pay me, they get protected. Simple as that.”  
  
“You’re still a criminal!” I yell, “Why the hell should I trust you?”  
  
“Because Ryan brought you here for a reason. He knew I was useful.”  
  
“Did he know you were a gangster?” I retort.  
  
“Yes, he did,” admits Al, “but he was under orders not to tell anyone. Why exactly did he bring you here, anyway?”  
  
“Because my friend’s Pokemon got stolen by Team Plasma, and he said you’d know where to find it.”  
  
‘Team Plasma.” Giovanni interrupts, sighing, “They claim to do what they do for the betterment of Pokemon, yet all they do is steal. I’ve heard stories. They’re no better than Team Rocket. Hell, I’d say they’re even worse, considering that they lie to the general public. At least there were no illusions about what Team Rocket did. They even stole half our name, for crying out loud! Why haven’t the people figured out that they’re bad guys yet?”  
  
“That Ghetsis fella is a hell of a speaker.” Al answers.  
  
“Yeah.” I add, “Saw one of his speeches in person back in Accumula Town. Makes you think, doesn’t he? Anyway, do you know where their hideout or whatever is or not?”  
  
“That, I do know.” Al replies.  
  
 _Well thank fuckin; Arceus._  
  
“It’s an unmarked office building, just across the street from the Pokemon Gym.”  
  
“Where’s the Gym?” I ask, shrugging.  
  
“It’s at the corner of Get A Map and Fuck Off.” Al snaps, “I’m a gangster, not a tour guide.”  
  
“Can I leave now?” I grumble, starting to stand up.  
  
“No.” Giovanni replies, “There is something I want to say to you.”  
  
“Alright, alright.” I mutter, “I’ll stick around.”  
  
“You know the person I told you you reminded me of?” Giovanni says, placing his hands on the table.  
  
“Yeah, what of it?” I remark, slouching into my chair.  
  
“That was Red.” he utters.  
  
“The - the Pokemon trainer Red?” I stammer, “The one who’s basically the stuff of legend by this point?”  
  
“Indeed, young lady. Is there enough space in here for you to let out your Pokemon?”  
  
“You’re not gonna steal ‘em, are you?”  
  
Giovanni laughs, “Relax, _bambina_. My Pokemon-stealing days are well and truly over.”  
  
Ryan and Leonard are already out, having chosen to stay silent this whole time. I toss out my four other Poke Balls, and Kelly, Alice, Lewis and Wolfgang emerge. The small room is now rather crowded.  
  
“Your team is impressive.” muses the old Italian man, “They’ve all been well-trained, I presume?”  
  
“How do you figure that?” I ask.  
  
“Where did you come from?” Giovanni questions.  
  
“Um, Nuvema Town?” I answer awkwardly. I still can’t quite get over the fact that this man is the former leader of Team Rocket.  
  
“How many gym badges?”  
  
I meekly hold up two fingers.  
  
“You planning to fight the Gym Leader here in Castellia? Stupid question. Of course you are! In that case, I must come and watch! I want to see your team battle! See if my hunch about you is correct!”  
  
“Well, I might have to politely decline that offer-“  
  
“Nonsense!” Giovanni shouts, slamming his hands on the table, “Give me some means of contacting you! A telephone number, anything!”  
  
 _Arceus, this man is loud._  
  
“Hey, what’s that thing on your wrist?” Giovanni asks, “Al, you look at it. You were always good with technology.”  
  
Al grabs my wrist, “The fuck is this?”  
  
“It’s an X-transceiver.” I answer, “It’s a fancy radio that also has thermal and x-ray scanner functions that a friend of mine figured out how to unlock.”  
  
Alex unclasps the metallic bracelet and thumbs through the menus.  
  
“Well, whaddya know?” he muses, “This thing is pretty fancy. I’d say this is almost military-grade. Who gave it to ya?”  
  
“Professor Juniper. She gave them to my friends as well.”  
  
“You’re kidding, right?” Al says, exasperated, “All I got from Professor Birch was a dumb Pokedex.”  
  
He leans over the table as he says this, and I get an opportunity to examine his face. His eyes are a sort of blue-gray, and a trio of long, prominent scars run down his face. Whatever gave him those scars somehow missed his eyes, as both of those seem fine.  
  
“How’d you get those scars?” I ask.  
  
“That,” Al replies, “is a story for another day. If there ever is another day, that is. Now, before you go, I gotta tell you something.”  
  
“Alright. I guess I can stick around for a couple more minutes. This has better be pretty profound, though.”  
  
Al clears his throat, “You see, as soon as I discovered I had Nuzlocke, I started, you know, taking more risks. Doing stuff I wouldn’t normally have done had my life not been on the line at all times, because remember, one bad battle, one team wipe, and you die. That much I garnered from my research. The neural trauma caused by six Pokemon deaths in a row often causes death or near-death for the trainer. On that macabre note, with a condition like yours or mine, you gotta live your life like there’s no tomorrow, because, let’s face it, there might not be. For your Pokemon, this is doubly important, because they’re at a much greater risk than you are. Castelia’s got tons of shit for an adventurous kid like you to do, so go do some of it!”  
  
He fiddles around with my X-transceiver for a bit.  
  
“There we go.” he announces, “I’ve plugged in a frequency that you can contact Giovanni and I on. Just in case, you know, you need anything.”  
  
“Why would I need to call you guys, like, ever again?” I ask.  
  
“In case you need our help again.” answers Giovanni, “I hope to see you again soon, Emily!”  
  
“Remember, Team Plasma building’s right across from the Gym.” Al reminds me, “If you wanna know where the Gym is, then get a fuckin’ map. Now, would you kindly be on your way?”  
  
“Gladly.” I mutter, taking my Pokemon and getting the hell out of Cafe Sonata.  
  
  
 _I just talked to a gangster,_ I muse as I walk the crowded streets of Castelia City on my way back to the Pokemon Center.  
  
 _I just talked to a real-life gangster who gave me life advice, and the former leader of the notorious Team Rocket who gave me the best compliment a Trainer can receive and told me he wanted to watch my Gym battle against Burgh._  
  
 _Son of a bitch!_  
  
I enter the Pokemon Center and go up to my room, knocking on the door, whereupon Iris lets me in.  
  
“‘Sup, my girl?” Iris says, smiling, “Ya find anything or somesuch?”  
  
“Actually, I did.” I announce proudly, “I found out where Team Plasma’s hideout is, which is probably where they’ve taken Munna.”  
  
“You mean we can find her?” Bianca squeals, hopping up from her position on the floor.  
  
“You bet your ass, Bianca.” I reply, an air of confidence about me.  
  
“Well then, what the frickety-frack are we waiting for?” Iris yells, “Lezzgo!”  
  
The four of us make our way down to street level, where Iris has something to show us.  
  
“Y’all haven’t met Mushy Snugglebites, have ya now?” she questions.  
  
“Who the hell is Mushy Snugglebites?” Cheren asks, confused.  
  
“I’ll show ya.” Iris replies.  
  
Iris takes a Poke Ball from her belt and tosses it, releasing the menacing, draconic form of a Haxorus into the street. The citizens of Castelia are understandably shocked at this development and start doing that thing people do where they scream and run away.  
  
“What’s up?” the dragon says nonchalantly.  
  
“So you’re Mushy Snugglebites?” I remark.  
  
“Yep.” she replies, “Mushy’s the name, being a badass is my game.”  
  
“Uh, miss?” a trembling man says, approaching Iris, “Could you please put your scary dragon away?”  
  
“You can’t tell me what to do!” Iris protests.  
  
“Would it be so darn bad if I went away?” Mushy offers, “I mean, I am scaring these people.”  
  
“Whatever you say, girl.” Iris sighs, returning the dragon to her Poke Ball.  
  
“Wait, you can talk to them too?” I ask Iris.  
  
“You’re damn right I can!” replies Iris excitedly, “No Nuzlocke, though. That would make the whole aspiring-Gym-Leader thing kinda tough, ya know what I’m sayin’?”  
  
“Well, lucky you.” I mutter.  
  
“Aw, snap!” says Iris loudly, “You got that Nuzlocke? Damn, sorry. Gotta suck, huh?”  
  
“Can we not talk about it?” I ask, shrugging, “Team Plasma’s hideout is right across the street from Burgh’s gym. Let’s go.”  
  
“Oh, damn!” Iris remarks, “I should call Burgh!”  
  
Iris pulls out her phone, dials Burgh, and begins the call by hollering, “Hey! Burgah Boy!”  
  
 _Never change, you crazy, awesome little girl._  
  
  
We meet up with Burgh outside his Gym, where we explain the situation.  
  
“A stolen Pokemon?” Burgh cries, his hands in the air, “Oh, that’s just atrocious! We must fix this on the double!”  
  
I look across the street to see an unmarked building with glass double doors, and joy of joys, there’s a cop standing right outside. We cross the street, and I talk to the officer.  
  
“Um, sir.” I start awkwardly, “There’s a stolen Pokemon being held in that building behind you. Could you help us get it back?”  
  
“I’m not sure if I can-” the cop begins.  
  
“I’m sorry to cause such a fuss, officer, but this young girl,” Burgh interrupts, putting his arm around Bianca, “is in a state of great distress, and we would really appreciate your help in this situation.”  
  
“Oh, hello, Burgh.” the cop says, “Fancy seeing you here.”  
  
“Don’t give me that, officer.” Burgh grumbles, “I work across the street from here. Now, are you going to help us or not?”  
  
“Well, with a Gym Leader asking and a fine young woman such as this one in distress, what am I supposed to do? Leave you people to fend for yourselves? Of course I’ll come in with you. There could be hardened criminals inside.”  
  
The cop decides not to draw his gun, following us into the building empty-handed. We are greeted by a cheery receptionist wearing a big smile.  
  
“Welcome to the Team Plasma Recruitment and Donation Center.” she says, looking our little group over, “What are you doing here, officer?”  
  
“I heard reports of a stolen Pokemon being taken into this building.” the cop replies, “Would you happen to know anything about that?”  
  
“Um, no?” she mutters, before whispering into a microphone, “Lord Ghetsis, there’s a Gym Leader and a police officer out here who probably want to see you.”  
  
After a short but agonizing wait, Ghetsis, wearing his signature ornate cloak and weird techy monocle, strides into the lobby.  
  
“Mr Ghetsis,” the officer says loudly, “your people are believed to be harboring a stolen Pokemon. What do you have to say to that?”  
  
Ghetsis clears his throat, “I believe there has been a misunderstanding, officer. Come with me, if you would.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact about this update. The character of Big Al is loosely based on my old beta, who has been internet silent for ages, but was always a fan of my work. Another thing about Al is that he was originally called Alex, until some fine folks on Discord pointed out that Alex was the second least intimidating name ever, only beaten by Kevin. Once again, thanks to my amazing beta SilverDoe for working her magic on this update! 'Til next time.


	19. Chapter 18: Overpowered

Chapter 18  
  
  
Ghetsis leads us into a large, open chamber where there is a podium for someone, probably Ghetsis, to speak from, as well as a few folding chairs scattered around. The six of us take our seats as Ghetsis stands on the podium. He starts talking into a radio.  
  
“I have been made aware that one of our number has stolen a young girl’s Pokemon recently.” he says matter-of-factly. “Would any of you care to own up to this blatant crime?”  
  
Ghetsis stands in silence until a uniformed grunt enters from a side entrance, a struggling Munna under one arm and a Poke Ball in his other hand.  
  
“Is that your Pokemon, miss?” the cop asks Bianca.  
  
“Y-yes,” she stammers.  
  
“Good, good,” the officer mutters, “now, just return the stolen Pokemon, young man. I’ll take you and your boss to the station, and we can sort this all out.”  
  
“That won’t be necessary, officer,” replies Ghetsis calmly.  
  
“I think you’re misunderstanding how the law works, sir,” the cop remarks angrily. “Your friend here has committed a crime. You are an accomplice in this crime. As such, it is my duty as an officer of the law to arrest both of you.”  
  
“With all due respect, officer, I think you are the one who is misunderstanding things. The stolen Pokemon will be returned, and you may arrest the young man who stole it, but do not arrest me. This young fellow was clearly a rogue element among the peaceful ranks of Team Plasma-“  
  
“Tauros-shit!” I holler, as the cop silently goes to arrest the grunt. I hear him reading the young man his rights.  
  
“You were not asked to speak, young miss,” Ghetsis comments.  
  
“I’ve seen Team Plasma at work,” I snap, staring right up at the robed man, “I know that all they do is abuse Pokemon and steal things.”  
  
“And how can you prove that, if I may ask?” he retorts, watching warily as his grunt is led away by the cop, “Everyone knows Team Plasma as a benevolent Pokemon rights organization that only wants to build a better world for Pokemon.”  
  
“If you’d asked me three days ago, I would have agreed with that,” says Burgh, standing up, “but having seen Team Plasma steal a very valuable exhibit from the Nacrene Museum, I believe Emily’s story more than yours.”  
  
“Again, rogue elements,” Ghetsis lies, “There are many who misunderstand my words. I cannot blame them. They are far too simple to understand my grand designs. Let me ask, who is going to believe you if you say Team Plasma are evil, Gym Leader Burgh? Not the millions who have heard my speeches, that’s for certain.”  
  
“Ya know,” Iris remarks, “that whole speechy thing kinda made it sound like you are the bad guy, big fella.”  
  
“No, no, no, that’s not what I was insinuating at all!” Ghetsis yells, slamming his hands on the podium, “I realize how my group’s actions could be misconstrued to paint me as some kind of villain, but I’ll say it again, these instances of bad behavior were caused by rogue elements. I am a good-intentioned man leading a band of rogues and morons!”  
  
“You know, Ghetsis,” says Burgh, “I watched one of your speeches live, here in this city, and it really made me think about my relationship with my Pokemon. I started to treat them better, because you told me that they’re not tools for me to use. They’re my friends, and I should respect them.”  
  
“I saw one of your speeches too, Ghetsis,” I add, “and I would say that I treat my Pokemon pretty well, especially after hearing that speech.”  
  
I’m lying to him by this point. I treat my Pokemon well enough already. Nothing this creep says is going to change that.  
  
“Ahh, two of us here have heard me speak!” Ghetsis enthuses. “Surely you would know of my plan to make a better world for Pokemon?”  
  
“Yeah, by stealing them from trainers who love them,.” I snap.  
  
“You know nothing of trainers,” snarls Ghetsis, “Most of them are bad people who see their Pokemon as nothing more than tools with which to cause pain to other Pokemon.”  
  
“Yeah, most,.” I snap back, “Some trainers, people like Cheren, Bianca and I, actually care for their Pokemon. Do you really think you Team Plasma people should be targeting people like Bianca?”  
  
“Rogue. Elements.” Ghetsis retorts, as if those words have any meaning anymore, “Anyway, we do not steal Pokemon. We liberate them from those people who we believe are not adequately taking care of them. We’re like Child Protection Services, in a way.”  
  
“Yeah, except you’re not sanctioned by the government to do any of this!” Cheren yells, “And that whole “liberation” thing sounds an awful lot like stealing!”  
  
“Hey, if I gave the girl her Pokemon back,” Ghetsis grumbles, losing his patience, “would you insufferable people be quiet and leave?”  
  
“Only if you promise to stop stealing people’s Pokemon!” Bianca yells, her face flushed.  
  
“I never started, my dear girl.” Ghetsis replies nonchalantly, "Now, go and retrieve your Pokemon."  
  
She runs up to Munna, grabbing it and cuddling it.  
  
"Alright," I say calmly. "Package secure. Let's get outta here."  
  
  
  
  
As soon as we’re off the premises, Bianca explodes into pure joy.  
  
“Oh, thank you, Emily!” she squeals, letting Munna float in the air as she pulls me into a tight hug, “I don’t know what I would have done without you, but now Munna’s back, and she’s safe, and I - I - thank you so, so much! I don’t know how to even express my gratitude!”  
  
“Thank you for rescuing me.” a voice in my head says.  
  
“Who the fuck are you?” I say, thoroughly confused.  
  
“I am Bianca’s Munna.” the voice answers.  
  
“Can’t I just talk to you normally?” I ask.  
  
“It would be more difficult that way.” she replies, “Anyway, you don’t have to say anything to me. Just think it.”  
  
“ _Like this?_ ”  
  
“Exactly.”  
  
“ _This is weird._ ”  
  
“Everyone is unnerved the first time, yes. Bianca was very confused when she first heard me.”  
  
“ _Oh, she does get spooked easily, that one. She’s a nice girl, though._ ”  
  
“I must thank you for saving me from those horrible people. I do not doubt that they would have done the same thing to me there as they first did in my home.”  
  
“ _Oh, shit, you were that Munna Team Plasma was beating up in the Dreamyard! Bianca caught you!_ ”  
  
“Yes. Bianca caught me. What an astute observation. Bianca thinks of you in many ways, a few of which I am not at liberty to disclose, but I do know that she doesn’t think of you as the smartest.”  
  
“ _I never said I was smart. Being smart is Cheren’s job._ ”  
  
“You should not dismiss intelligence. It is truly a grand thing to have.”  
  
“ _I suppose so. Anyway, can you get out of my head?_ ”  
  
“I suppose we have conversed for a little while. I have said what I wanted to say to you. Goodbye.”  
  
I didn’t notice it when she initially jumped in, but something about my brain feels different without Munna poking and prodding inside it.  
  
“You have a good chat with Munna?” Bianca asks nonchalantly.  
  
“I guess you could say that.” I grumble.  
  
“You fine-ass ladies done yet?” Iris moans, hands on hips.  
  
“Yeah, we’re done,” I reply gruffly. “What’s next?”  
  
“Well, if y’all are trainers,” she says, grinning, “you should totes check out the Castelia Battle Company. I gots something to deliver there anyway, so we might as well all go!”  
  
“While it has been a while since I paid a visit to my friends at the Battle Company,” Burgh admits, checking his watch, “I have a Gym battle I have to get to in fifteen minutes, so I must break off from our little party. Toodles, kiddos!”  
  
He strides off towards the crosswalk, leaving us alone, four kids in the middle of Castelia City.  
  
“Well, since nobody has any better ideas and the Battle Company sounds fascinating,” Cheren notes, “let’s get moving.”  
  
  
Iris, despite being something like thirteen (I figured that from her youthful face, considering that she’s the same height as me), seems to know her way around Castelia. We find the Battle Company quickly enough. It’s situated in a tall building that looms over us.  
  
“Is this whole building the Battle Company?” I ask.  
  
“Yup.” Iris confirms, “There used to be other tenants, but they got sick of the noise from all the Pokemon battles.”  
  
“They have battles in an office building?” Bianca questions disbelievingly.  
  
“You betcha!” Iris says, grinning, “S’great. Come on, let’s go inside!”  
  
The Castelia Battle Company Building has a spacious, airy lobby, complete with a small battleground where an Axew battles seemingly hopelessly against - what the fuck is that? Is that cotton candy with eyes and a mouth? What the hell, Arceus? Its trainer, a sharp-faced woman in fashionable clothes, seems rather happy with her victory. Her taunts come in a Kalosian accent.  
  
 _Kalos. That makes sense. They’ve got some weird Pokemon there. Haunted swords and keys and shit._  
  
Iris goes up to the receptionist.  
  
“Hello, Miss Hanson.” the bespectacled lady says to her, “What brings you here.”  
  
“Oh, nothin’ much.” Iris says casually, “Just got a little delivery from Drayden. Wouldn’t mind seein’ the boos, ya know?”  
  
 _Miss… Hanson. Drayden._  
  
My father’s words echo in my mind, _Drayden Hanson, the dragon man._  
  
 _So, Iris is this Drayden guy’s daughter, I guess._  
  
 _Explains the Haxorus._  
  
“Sure thing,” the receptionist replies, “His office is on the-“  
  
“Fortieth floor, I know, I know.” Iris interrupts.  
  
As Iris leads us to an elevator, I ask my question.  
  
“So, Iris, is Drayden the Gym Leader really your father?”  
  
“Yup,” she replies simply.  
  
“Huh,” muses Cheren.“So you’re Drayden’s daughter.”  
  
“Yeah, kinda,” she replies.“He adopted me.”  
  
“From where?” I ask.  
  
“Iraq. Long story.” she remarks.  
  
“Wow.” I utter, a little dumbstruck.  
  
 _So that’s where the accent quirk comes from. She masks it well, but I figure that if I ever got her alone, I’d hear her true voice._  
  
We take the elevator all the way to the fortieth floor, emerging into a brightly lit office space. A female secretary in a gray suit greets us.  
  
“Miss Hanson!” she enthuses, “So good to see you again. I see you’ve brought a few guests.”  
  
“Yes, I have.” Iris replies formally, “They’re all Trainers, so I’m sure they’d be very interested in what Mr. Jackson has to offer.”  
  
“Yes, yes.” the secretary says, pressing a button and talking into a microphone, “Mr. Jackson, Iris Hanson is here. She brought guests. They will see you now, if that’s okay with you.”  
  
“Ah, indeed!” a voice says through the speaker. “The Hansons are always welcome in my building, and any friend of theirs is a friend of mine!”  
  
“Alright then,” the woman announces, “Right this way, children.”  
  
Her heels click on the polished floor as she leads us down the hallway towards a pair of glass doors. I hear a second, off-beat set of heel clicks, and, looking down at people’s feet, realize that Bianca is wearing her white heeled pumps.  
  
 _The kind of stuff you don’t immediately notice when you just don’t care._  
  
 _What goes through that girl’s head? She gets dressed and thinks, I’m gonna be walking around a massive city all day, let’s wear these inarguably uncomfortable shoes!_  
  
Behind the door, at a large wooden desk with a computer off to one side, sits a plump-faced, clean-shaven man with neatly combed brown hair and steely gray eyes. He wears a crisp white shirt, with a black suit jacket hanging over the back of his leather office chair.  
  
“Mr. Jackson will see you now,” the secretary says, opening the door for us.  
  
“Thank you, Hannah,” Mr Jackson comments in a low, rumbly voice. “You may return to your desk now.”  
  
“Yes, sir.” Hannah says, heading back down the hallway without another word.  
  
“A good woman, that Hannah,” Mr. Jackson remarks, “Dutiful.”  
  
“Tommy, my man!” Iris cheers, “Get over here!”  
  
“Hello, young Iris,” Mr. Jackson says, getting up from his desk and giving the girl a hug. “What brings you and your friends here today?”  
  
“Well, first things first, I’ve got Papa Drayden’s gym battle data, like you asked for,” she replies, fishing through her handbag (that I had not noticed until now) and pulling out a black hard drive.  
  
“Excellent, young lady!” Mr. Jackson says, grinning as he places the drive on his desk, “Arceus, how rude of me! I haven’t even introduced myself to your friends. Thomas Jackson, CEO of the Castelia City Battle Company.”  
  
“Emily Sanders.” I introduce myself, shaking his hand.  
  
Cheren and Bianca take their turns introducing themselves, then we let Mr. Jackson talk.  
  
“Now, here at the Battle Company,” Jackson explains, “we study the science of Pokemon battles, and develop new technologies to make them better for Trainers and Pokemon alike. We even work with the Silph Corporation to develop new kinds of Poke Balls, and with Devon Corporation in the development of TMs.”  
  
“Incredible,” Cheren breathes.  
  
“It is indeed incredible, some of the work we do here,” Jackson says, smiling. “Would you like the tour?”  
  
“That would take too long,” I remark, “There is something I would like to do, though.”  
  
“And what’s that, young lady?” he asks.  
  
“As the CEO of, well, the Battle Company, surely you’re a battler yourself?”  
  
“That’s a very forward line of questioning, Miss Sanders, but it’s a question I’m all too happy to answer.”  
  
He pushes a button on his desk, and a hidden panel on the back wall pops out and slides to one side, revealing rows upon rows of Poke Balls.  
  
“Now, let me just - how many badges do you have, child?”  
  
“Two.”  
  
“Well, then, with a little bit of the Battle Company’s technology added into the mix, this-“ he takes a ball from a rack, “should be the perfect level of challenge.”  
  
 _Do I tell him about the Nuzlocke?_  
  
 _No. I don’t want him to go easy on me._  
  
“Let’s head upstairs to the Main Battleground, shall we?” Mr Jackson offers.  
  
“Let’s do it!” I affirm.  
  
  
 _I have made a horrible mistake._  
  
The Battle Company Level Limiter installed in its collar might bring its level down to a measly eighteen, but it’s still a fucking Flygon. Cheren, knowing his Pokemon, insisted that battling Thomas Jackson was a bad idea as soon as he saw it. I gotta do this, though. It’s a matter of pride. I can’t back down now. All my Pokemon, who stand around in a cluster near me as has become usual, are looking up to me.  
  
“Kelly, I’m gonna teach you Retaliate,” I explain to the slightly scared Herdier, “It’s more reliable than Take Down, you know.”  
  
I decide not to acknowledge Retaliate’s secondary effect.  
  
“Okay!” Kelly says, putting on a brave face.  
  
I’m leading with Kelly and Leonard for this one, since Mr. Jackson is letting this be a two-on-one. You know, to make it fair. A Retaliate from Kelly will definitely hurt that thing, and due to Flygon’s partial Ground typing, Leonard’s Grass-type attacks will deal decent damage.  
  
“Are you ready?” Jackson asks, standing by his dragon.  
  
“As- as ready as I’ll ever be!” I stammer, faking a confident laugh. It’s obviously a fake laugh, but I’m hoping the intimidatingly large crowd of employees who have gathered to watch their boss battle me will fall for it.  
  
Hannah, Mr. Jackson’s secretary, is refereeing the battle.  
  
“Hey, if I win,” I ask, “do I get to be the new CEO of the company?”  
  
“I’ll put you up for consideration, how about that?” Jackson replies casually.  
  
“Battlers ready?” Hannah says.  
  
We both nod.  
  
“Alright, then. Begin!”  
  
“Your move, kiddo,” Mr. Jackson says nonchalantly.  
  
“Alright! Kelly, Retaliate! Leonard, Leech Seed!”  
  
“Levi, Dragonbreath on the Herdier!”  
  
Levi must be the Flygon’s name, and partially true to its trainer’s words, it gives Leonard and Kelly a tiny head start. Thing is, Levi’s fast. Leonard manages to get his Leech Seed dug into the Flygon’s skin before he can attack, but Kelly gets a blast of Dragonbreath to the face when she closes in to attack. Bless her soul, she pushes right on through, leaping up and striking the flying target with great vigor. The seed embedded in Levi’s skin saps some of his strength, giving it to Kelly.  
  
“Thanks for the assist, Leonard!” Kelly yells.  
  
“No problem at all, Kelly!” Leonard calls back.  
  
“We make a great team, you know that?” Kelly shouts.  
  
“Yeah, I know! We’re great together, aren’t we?”  
  
“Would you two quit flirting with each other and focus on the fight?” I holler.  
  
This comment shuts them up and refocuses them. It probably also greatly embarrassed them, but it was necessary.  
  
“Leonard, Leaf Tornado! Kelly, Retaliate again!”  
  
“Not so fast!” Jackson yells, “Levi, use Fly!”  
  
 _Oh, shit. Flying-type move incoming. Really don’t wanna lose Leonard._  
  
Levi launches himself up towards the top of the high-ceilinged room. Both Leonard and Kelly’s attacks go wide as the Flygon soars out of reach.  
  
“Now, Levi, strike that Servine from above!”  
  
“Leonard, heads up!” Ryan shouts.  
  
Ryan’s alert barely gives Leonard any time to react before the serpentine Pokemon is shoved out of the way by the Castelian street monkey, who waits until Levi is right on top of him before lashing out with a burst of water that must be searingly hot, as it almost stops a screaming Levi dead in his tracks. All he has the strength to do is weakly slap Ryan around the head with a wing, and when he stops, I can see burns across the dragon’s chest.  
  
“What the hell was that, Ryan?” I ask, shocked.  
  
“A new move I probably wasn’t meant to learn for a little while,” he admits, “Thing is, when that Flygon launched its first attack, I was hit with a wave of inspiration, and boom! New move.”  
  
“Can we quit the chit-chat and get on to the fight?” Mr. Jackson grumbles.  
  
“Alright. Kelly, Retaliate. Ryan, whatever you just did, do it again.”  
  
“Levi, smash them both! Rock Slide!”  
  
The bug-eyed dragon summons rocks in midair, bringing them crashing down on my Pokemon. Kelly gets smashed with a rock, but this only seems to anger her, as she charges in for a powerful strike that sends Levi reeling backwards, right into the path of Ryan’s attack. He managed to dodge the falling rocks, deftly hopping on top of one to gain a little bit of high ground against his opponent, before unleashing a blast of scalding water. Levi, howling in pain, tries to hang on, but Leonard’s Leech Seed saps the last of his energy, and he collapses onto the ground. Cheers erupt from the crowd as I am suddenly surrounded by people in suits and lab coats.  
  
“Wow!” says one excitedly, “That was incredible, kid! Nobody’s beaten the boss in months, and I’m pretty sure nobody’s beaten Levi in even longer!”  
  
“You must be worthy of this item, then!” a scientist interrupts, pressing a purple orb into my palm, “It’s an Eviolite, one of our very latest inventions! Give it to a Pokemon that isn’t fully evolved, and its defenses will increase dramatically!”  
  
“You deserve this, too!” another scientist adds, handing me a monocle thingy with an adjustable headband, “It’s a Scope Lens.”  
  
“What, like, for a gun?” I ask.  
  
“No, silly, for your Pokemon!” he replies, aghast, “Give it to one of them, and they will be able to score critical hits more easily!”  
  
“Have these Timer Balls!” a businessman says, shoving three Poke Balls with red detailing at me. “Thanks to the Battle Company’s advanced technology, they get more effective at catching Pokemon the longer a battle drags on!”  
  
 _Well, that’s dumb._  
  
“My colleague’s insane!” a woman shouts, handing me three blue-and-yellow balls, “These Quick Balls will be extra effective if you use them right when a battle begins!”  
  
 _Those sound much better._  
  
I manage to find my way out of the throng and back to Cheren, Bianca, Iris and my Pokemon.  
  
“And you said I should bail!” I remark at Cheren, grinning like an idiot.  
  
“You won because of Ryan randomly learning a new move,” he grumbles, “You got lucky, and that’s all that happened.”  
  
“Shut up. That wasn’t luck. Ain’t that right, Ryan?”  
  
“You’re damn right!” yells Ryan.”That was all skill!”  
  
“That was incredible, Emily!” Bianca enthuses, “Your battles never fail to impress me, you know?”  
  
“You praise me too much, Bianca. I mean, I used everything I knew in that battle, but I’m still kind of a rookie.”  
  
“Of course she gets the I’m-still-just-a-rookie comment!” Cheren complains.  
  
Ignoring him, I start talking to my Pokemon.  
  
“Leonard, Kelly, Ryan, amazing job.” I say, patting their heads, “Great work out there. We faced off against a seriously tough opponent, and we won.”  
  
“Good stuff, good stuff,” Kelly remarks, “Also, about that whole “flirting” comment, I- I mean, I like Leonard - I think we all do - but not in that way.”  
  
“I- just- I dunno how to think about that,” Leonard stammers.  
  
“Eh, what the heck?” Ryan remarks, “I ship it.”  
  
“What on earth do you mean by that, Squire Ryan?” Lewis asks, “It just doesn’t make any sense to me at all.”  
  
“Well, you see,” Ryan begins, “when you think a guy and a girl should love each other very much…”  
  
I leave Ryan to his explanation and approach Mr. Jackson.  
  
“Well, I’ll be damned,” the man says gruffly, “You actually beat Levi. Nobody’s done that in ages.”  
  
“I wouldn’t say I beat Levi. I’d say I beat the CEO of the Castelia Battle Company. Bad workman blames his tools, you know how the saying goes?”  
  
“Yes, I do.” he replies, shrugging, “I guess I shouldn’t blame Levi. It was my failure as a trainer, not Levi’s failure as a Pokemon, that caused that loss.”  
  
“By the way, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but… I have Nuzlocke.” I carefully admit.  
  
Thomas Jackson’s facial expression turns to one of horror.  
  
“You mean… I could have killed your Pokemon?” he utters disbelievingly.  
  
“Yeah. You could have done,” I mutter.  
  
“I hate to say this, kiddo, but you should have told me before we battled,” Jackson scolds, his facial expression going stern, “or maybe you should have backed down once you’d known you were fighting Levi. Don’t accuse me of putting your Pokemon in danger, because it was your fault for not telling me about your condition.”  
  
“I get it, I get it,” I grumble. “I’m the fuckup. I’m to blame. I’m the one who carelessly put my Pokemon’s lives at risk. Stop scolding me. Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?”  
  
“A responsible adult,” he snaps, “Who are you to even consider throwing your team’s lives away? You’re insane!”  
  
“I get that a lot,” I reply offhandedly.  
  
“That’s not a compliment!” he yells. “Get out of my building.”  
  
  
“Y’all know what?” Iris asks as we walk down the street, having left the Battle Company far behind.  
  
“What?” I reply.  
  
“I think we’re all, like, super-hyper-stressed from the events of this not-so-fine day. What we need to do is majorly frickin’ chill, ladies and gent. I humbly suggest getting some lunch, preferably pizza, because we’re in friggin’ Castelia City and, ya know, when in Rome! Afterwards, ya boy Cheren can go off and do whatever it is he does to preserve his fragile masculinity while us ladies go and get, I dunno, a massage? Something to, ya know, relax the body and soul, and all that shizz.”  
  
“Iris, you’re a fucking genius,” I reply earnestly.  
  
“I pride myself on my brilliantness, yes.” she brags.  
  
“I could go for some pizza,” Cheren adds, “It is a little bit past lunchtime, after all, and I am quite hungry.”  
  
“Oh, a foot massage would be just heavenly right now,” says Bianca, “These heels are killing my feet.”  
  
“Your fault for wearing them, dumbass,” I remark.  
  
“I thought I would just be casually walking around town, not rushing around looking for a stolen Pokemon!” she retorts, “They looked cute when I put ‘em on in the morning! Sue me!”  
  
“Shoes. Yes, that reminds me!” Iris shouts, “I hit a growth spurt, like, a couple months back, and half my clothes still don’t fit me. I, like, need to go shopping. You two fine ladies okay with taggin’ along?”  
  
“Eugh. Shopping.” I grumble.  
  
“Oh, I’d love to,” Bianca notes, “but I don’t have a lot of spending money right now. I bought these shoes and a dress in Striaton for gym battles, and that was most of my disposable cash.”  
  
“Don’t sweat it, girl,” Iris replies assuredly. “Drayden gave me a buncha allowance for this trip, so if ya see anything cute ya want, I’ll buy it for ya. Deal?”  
  
“Oh, that would be amazing, Iris!” Bianca squeals. “You are such a cool girl, you know that? I, like, need to get your number so we can hang out more sometime.”  
  
“Sure thing, my girl,” Iris affirms.  
  
“I’m standing right here,” I grumble, crossing my arms.  
  
“What?” Bianca snaps, “I’m not allowed to have another good female friend?”  
  
“Ehh,” I shrug, “She likes shoe shopping and all that crap. She’s a better match for you than I could ever hope to be.”  
  
“You two are… different, let’s put it that way,” Bianca says, placing a hand on my shoulder.  
  
“Can we stop arguing and get a move on?” Cheren asks loudly, “My stomach is yearning for some damn pizza.”  
  
“Ya boy’s right,” Iris remarks. “Let’s get movin’"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the first update I wrote entirely as part of Camp NaNoWriMo. I wrote a ton of updates in July, and I plan to keep up monthly updates for as long as I can. Maybe even speed it up at some point, depending on how school works out. 'Til next time.


	20. Chapter 19: Beat 'Em Up

**Chapter 19**  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Yesterday afternoon I got dragged along on Bianca and Iris’ little shopping spree and got suckered into buying three things: a sparkly purple top (Bianca insisted it looked good on me, and purple is my favorite color), a pair of black leather flats—a compromise with Iris and Bianca, since I wouldn’t buy a pair of heels in a million fuckin’ years—and a pair of tight blue leggings. Ah, the leggings. I mean, if Iris hadn’t bought them for me I wouldn’t bother—they’re tight enough to put my ass on public display, and whether or not that’s a good or bad thing, it sure as hell ain’t MY thing. Right now, I’m being rather indecisive about what to wear.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Stop looking at them all so disdainfully, my lady,” Lewis remarks, sitting on the other end of the bed, “You look stunning in everything you bought.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I do not.” I retort, “The top’s too gaudy, the shoes are too girly, and the leggings show off my ass.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“What’s wrong with showing off your assets?” Ryan asks.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“How do you even know what that means?” I say, feeling some heat in my cheeks.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Same reason I know what shipping is,” Ryan explains casually, “Over my years, I have immersed myself in human culture, by which I mean living vicariously through Al.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
At the mention of shipping, Kelly blushes furiously and Leonard goes to hide in a corner. Before the awkward conversation can continue any further, the phone on the bedside table rings. I pick it up, and hear the voice of one of the center’s Nurse Joys.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Hello, Room 115? Would you happen to be Emily Sanders?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Yep, that would be me,” I reply.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Well, someone just delivered a package for you. It says it’s from a Mr. Thomas Jackson.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 _Huh. Didn’t he scold me and tell me to get out of his building?_  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Alright. I’ll be right down.” I put down the phone.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Alright, guys. I have something to pick up from downstairs. Be back in a bit.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You don’t have any clothes on!” Alice laughs.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I look down at myself. I’m in my underwear. _How could I forget? You’re a dumbass, Emily._  
  
  
I decide to at least give some of the things I bought with Bianca a try for today, so I put on the purple top, a pair of baggy blue jeans, and the black flats. Suitably dressed for leaving the room, I head downstairs and approach one of the Joys.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I believe there’s a package waiting for me,” I say matter-of-factly.  
  
  
“You’re Emily Sanders, right?”   
  
  
“Yep.”  
  
  
“Alright. Let me get it for you.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She goes into the back room, quickly bringing out a relatively small package wrapped in brown paper. There’s a card attached to the top.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Some secretary lady delivered it,” She explains as she hands it to me, “Said it was a form of apology on behalf of Mr. Jackson?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I decide to keep my opinions on Thomas Jackson to myself, and take the package up to my room in silence.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“…so, for a female human, their assets might be their breasts and their butt, maybe their legs, depending on the person,” Ryan explains to a stunned audience of five Pokemon. The monkey is very animated, making lots of hand gestures. The other five are clearly looking for a way out, and they all turn to me when I enter the room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Are you doing one of your explanations of human culture again, Ryan?” I ask dryly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Yes, yes he is,” Lewis replies, his eyes moving to the box. “I’m not sure I’ve wanted to know about either of the things he’s told us about so far, but there really is no stopping him. By, the way, have I mentioned that you look fantastic today, milady?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Why, you have not!” I note, playing along, “Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate it.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Excellent,” he says, his head tilting to get a better look at the object in my hand “What’s that that you’re holding, if you don’t mind me asking?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“It’s a package.” I reply, setting it down on the floor, “It came from Mr. Jackson, that guy whose Flygon’s ass we kicked yesterday. Remember him?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You bet I do!” Kelly interrupts, “That was the most fun battle I’ve ever had!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Shall we crack it open, see what’s inside?” Ryan suggests, approaching the box.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Let’s read the card first.” I say calmly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I remove it from the top of the box and open it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 _Dear Emily,_  
  
  
 _My deepest apologies for my extreme rudeness yesterday. I should not have told you so forcefully to leave my building. It was a mistake to do such a thing. As an adult, I am supposed to be a role model to people like you. How I behaved was not cohesive with that ideal. I hope that there will be no animosity between us in the future. As such, I have chosen to give you a gift. It is an Exp. Share, a device designed to aid in the training of weaker Pokemon. Simply give it to one of your Pokemon, and they will gain some of the experience from battle, regardless of whether or not they actually participated. I hope you accept my humble offering._  
  
  
 _Sincerely,_  
  
  
 _Thomas Jackson, CEO of Castelia City Battle Company._  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 _Fuckin’ A. I can just see his fake-ass smile._  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Okay,” I laugh, “This sounds fake as hell, but okay. Let’s open it up. How are we gonna do that?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Lewis bares his claws.  
  
  
“You’re amazing, Lewis,” I say, grinning.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
His finely honed claws slice effortlessly through the brown paper… and through the packaging of the Exp. Share. The box it came in is torn to shreds, leaving only the device itself, a strange doohickey with lights on it attached to an adjustable headband.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“So I guess you just wear it on your head?” Alice wonders aloud, tilting her head to look at it from a different angle.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“What if you have multiple heads, like a Doduo?” Leonard questions, “Or what if you’re something like a Ferroseed, and you don’t have a clearly defined head?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Do you see a Doduo or Ferroseed anywhere in this room, Leonard?” Ryan asks, hands on hips.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Well, no.” he replies meekly, averting his gaze.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“ _Exactly_ ,” Ryan snaps, “Not our problem.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I mean, you’re all pretty equally leveled,” I note, examining the device, “It’s not like we really have any need for it.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I mean, if we caught a new team member, it could be useful,” Ryan comments, “I know there are Darumaka on Route 4, up north. Those are Fire-types. Could be nice for the Gym.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Are you offering yourself up for replacement, _Herr_ Ryan?” Wolfgang asks, “Because there are already two Water-types on this team, and some type diversity would be helpful.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I know Grass Knot, remember?” Ryan taunts, summoning two blades of grass out of thin air and snapping them together menacingly, “Try and fight me, asshole. See where that gets you.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Guys, guys, chill!” I yell, standing between them, “Can we not fight? For one day?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You say that so much.” Kelly remarks.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Well, I wonder why?” I hiss in reply, “Let’s just go.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Before we head out for the day, I decide to head up a few floors to visit Cheren and Bianca. Would you believe that this Pokemon Center has a friggin’ elevator? Cheren has his Pignite by his side, along with a Pidove he caught while training with Bianca. When I talk to him, he seems dead-set on facing Burgh today, and appears confident about his chances. Looking at his team, I wouldn’t blame him. If he gets that bird evolved, he’ll be set. When I mention Burgh to Bianca, she starts wringing her hands and fidgeting uncomfortably. She is also wearing nothing but underwear and a top. Bianca’s ability to be indecisive about her fashion choices never ceases to amaze me.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Bianca, why can’t you just throw some clothes on and be done with it?” I grumble, crossing my arms.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Because I am a sophisticated young woman,” she says, posing overdramatically with a pair of yellow flats in her hand, “and I need to dress in a sophisticated manner. Also, if you remember, I bought a bunch of stuff with Iris and I wanna wear it all, darn it!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She looks at me, glancing up and down.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Oh, hey! You’re wearing some of the stuff Iris bought you!” She beams, grinning.  
  
  
“That’s great! You look fantastic!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 _Take the compliment, Emily,_ my conscience tells me.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Heh, thanks!” I reply, forcing a smile.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You’re welcome!” she says earnestly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She takes a deep breath.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Hey, I wanted to ask you a question.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Sure. Hit me.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Well, you went on a whole little adventure with Cheren while I was back in Striaton, right?” she questions, “I was wondering if, you know, we could go out on our own little adventure together?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Sure!” I reply, smiling, “Sounds great. I was thinking about heading out to Route 4, maybe catching something. You wanna come with me?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You bet!” she says, high-fiving me, “Now, the real question is: flats or heels?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You remember yesterday? You remember how badly you needed that foot massage?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You’re right. Flats it is.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Also, you should probably get some pants or a skirt on before you start thinking about shoes.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I pause briefly. “Oh, wait, you’re Bianca fucking Taylor.” I utter dryly, “You never stop thinking about shoes.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Bianca sighs, “You know me too well.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Bianca ends up going for one of her favorite outfits: a long white dress that stops just below the knee, paired with a sleeveless orange jacket, orange stockings and her yellow flats, and accessorized with a large green hat and her green handbag. It’s a getup I’ve seen her wear many times, although I’m honestly surprised she brought the whole ensemble with her on this trip. She now wears her Poke Balls on a fashionable leather belt that I must have not noticed her buying yesterday. We walk to Grand Central Station and after perusing the subway map (which looks like an explosion at a spaghetti-and-paint factory) we find a line that’ll take us right to the outskirts of the city—and the beginning of Route 4. We exit the subway station to find ourselves at the divergence of a road and a well-paved walking path. Behind us is the low-rise, prim-and-proper skyline of North Castelia. It’s where the President lives, along with all the other big government people, so it’s a lot more professional than the hustle and bustle of South Castelia. A lot quieter too, I imagine. Shaking myself out of my train of thought, I continue on.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Bianca and I have places to be, so we set off down the path. Route 4 is flanked on both sides by forests, but the forest on my left only goes west for a short while before butting up against one of the largest fuckups, if not the largest fuckup, in recent Unovan history: the Castelia Desert. You see, in the late Forties and early Fifties, after World War Two, some government geniuses though it would be a good idea to chop down hundreds of square miles of forest to make space for more of Castelia City. Unfortunately, the project fell through before more than a few buildings could be built. With the ecosystem and landscape well and truly fucked over, desertification occurred, and what used to be mile after mile of forest is now a giant desert with the odd abandoned building scattered around. The native Pokemon adapted to the change, but there’s still a giant desert just north of Castelia City that’s never going away. I hear it’s a hot spot for Pokemon trainers looking to expand their collections or battle like-minded individuals. I might end up checking it out after I fight Burgh.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
We find a reasonably well-beaten path that leads us into the forest. At the start of the path is a notice that says something about “dangerous and aggressive wild Pokemon”. The hot wind from the desert blows through the trees, and I realize it’s a good thing I didn’t think to wear a jacket today. Bianca takes her jacket off, holding it casually over one shoulder.Oddly enough, there are no signs of life along the path. No people, no Pokemon. Nothing. It’s quiet, too.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
After about fifteen minutes of walking under the scorching sun, we hear screams, and the sounds of a violent struggle. A small, big-eyed lizard that I recognize as a Scraggy runs up to us. Bianca and I flinch backwards. Is this one of the dangerous Pokemon the sign told us about?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Are you two Trainers?” she asks in a panicked voice, “Oh, you have to help me! Some of the other Scraggy and a Scrafty found some humans and started beating them up and stealing their stuff! Oh, it’s just horrible!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“So those are the sounds we heard,” I muse.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Come on!” the little lizard yells, “Come with me!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
We rush down the narrow path as fast as our feet can carry us before coming into a clearing, where sure enough, two people, a guy and a girl, are having the shit beaten out of them by a gang of three Scraggy. An intimidating Scrafty with a menacing grin plastered across his face, who I presume is their leader, rummages through a backpack, pulling out whatever objects he can find.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Hey!” the man shouts as the large reptilian Pokemon pulls out a shiny rectangle from a small pocket, “That’s my phone, asshole!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“This is of no use to me.” the Scrafty hisses, crushing it effortlessly in his hand.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Holy shit!” the man screams, “That was expensive, you fucking prick!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Hey!” Bianca yells, drawing attention to us, “Get away from them, you jerks!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“What do you want?” the Scrafty growls at us, “Leave us be.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“No!” yells our friendly Scraggy, “We’re not letting you guys get away with this!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“And what makes you think you can do that?” he taunts.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Hey, asshole.” I drawl, Poke Ball at the ready  “How’s an eleven-on-one sound? Sound good, Bianca?”  
  
  
Bianca nods, taking a ball from her belt.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Hey, kid, can you fight?” I ask the Scraggy by my side.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You bet!” she replies eagerly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Boys, let’s make that an eleven-on-four!” the Scrafty retorts, cracking his knuckles.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Bianca and I both toss out our Poke Balls as swiftly as we can, and before we do, our friendly Scraggy has already started attacking, brawling fiercely with the Scrafty’s cronies. She knocks the weakest one out with ease, but is still fighting one-on-two. Bianca’s newest Pokemon, a Pansear, starts firing blasts of flame to support her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Bianca, have your Pansear help our Scraggy!” I yell, “Everyone else, focus on Scrafty! Try not to let his attacks hit you!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Leonard and Ryan quickly get to double-teaming the Scrafty, with Leonard sending leaves slicing through the air and shoving the Scrafty into the path of Ryan’s scalding blast of water. Alice starts slicing him up with blades of wind whose sound alone is so sharp it feels like it could cut something, while Wolfgang sprays him with a stream of bubbles. Kelly leaps into the fray with Bianca’s Dewott and Herdier, while Munna hangs back, knowing when she’s beaten. With Leonard and Ryan keeping up the onslaught, Scrafty doesn’t get a chance to attack, and he quickly drops to the ground, defeated. I can smell scorched scales and rusty blood. Thanks to the combined efforts of our friendly Scraggy and Bianca’s Pansear, his three goons lie on the ground, out cold as well. Bianca and I approach the two people who the Scrafty and his gang were beating up, a dark-skinned man with black hair and a slim, athletic brunette.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Oh, oh, thank you so much!” the man stammers, “That was terrifying! I thought we were going to die!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I told you we shouldn’t have come out here for our walk, Julio.” says the girl, dusting herself off, “We should have at least bought some stronger Pokemon repellent.’”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Hey!” Julio complains, “The good stuff’s expensive, you know!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You’re not dead,” I breathe. “You’re not dead. Those guys just tried to **kill you.** ”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He tries to stand up, but his left leg gives way, accompanied by shouts of pain. “ _Hijo de puta!_ My leg, I think it’s broken.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Oh, Julio, are you okay?” screams the girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I am in a lot of pain, Tara, my love,” Julio admits, “I can’t walk, and we are a long way from the road.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“We really aren’t.” I comment, “Bianca and I took the subway, and we’ve only been walking for, like, ten, maybe fifteen minutes.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Oh, thank Arceus!” Tara exclaims, collecting what possessions of hers the Scrafty left intact, “Julio, I’ll call 911, and I’ll carry you.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I have a better idea.” I say, grinning and looking at the fainted Scrafty, “Bianca, you got a Revive in that bag of yours?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“As a matter of fact, I- wait. You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking, I hope.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Oh, you know I am, sister.” I remark, clapping her on the shoulder, “Now gimme the Revive.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Bianca silently fishes one of the yellow crystals out of her handbag. I’d wager that this will be the only time one of these will ever be useful to me. I hold it to Scrafty’s forehead and crack it open. Its energy surges through his body. Tendrils of yellow wrap around his head and chest before snapping, and he wakes with a jolt.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“H- hey, what’s going on?” he asks in a weary voice.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Alright, buddy.” I reply, patting his forehead, “I need your help. You know that man you attacked?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Yeah.” he grumbles, “What about him?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Well, you or one of your buddies broke his leg, and we’re a little ways from the nearest road.” I explain calmly, “I need you to carry him there.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“And what if I don’t wanna, huh?” he snaps, crossing his arms.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“My team kicked your ass once.” I reply, gesturing to hem, “They can do it again. You want that to happen?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Fine.” he grumbles, sighing, “I’ll help you. I don’t wanna go through that kind of pain again. I don’t trust humans, but I know when to respect one.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Scrafty unceremoniously lifts Julio into the air, holding the significantly taller human in his arms like a baby. Tara collects up what’s left of both their things, loading them into backpacks and putting them on. Having backpacks on her front and back nicely obscures her tattered shirt. Before we set off, she dials 911 on her phone, and we get walking as she starts yammering into it in a slightly unsteady tone.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Hey, boss?” says Alice, slightly uneasily.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“What is it, Alice?” I ask, turning back momentarily to face her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You know that Scraggy from before?” she comments, “She’s following us.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Let’s just get Julio to an ambulance first.” I grumble, “Then we can worry about her.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Boss,” she continues, “I think she might want to join our team.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“First things first, Alice,” I explain, sighing, “don’t call me boss. The Pokemon/Trainer relationship is a two-way street. We’re equals, you hear?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Yes, bo- I mean, yes, Emily.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Secondly, like I said, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As we walk, Tara tells her and Julio’s story. Apparently, they’ve been dating for four months now, and thought it would be a good idea today to go out for a romantic walk in the woods. Unfortunately, Julio, being the cheapskate that he is, neglected to buy strong enough Pokemon repellent, and as such, they got attacked by Scrafty and his goons. I wonder why. Maybe that’s just the Scrafty way, beating people up and stealing their stuff.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Our little posse proceeds towards the road, and when we reach it, there’s already an ambulance waiting for Julio. I suppose emergency services must be good in North Castelia. They must wanna protect all the fuckin’ sharp-suited government people. Like Al said, all the cops are concentrated up north, and I’m assuming the same is true for firefighters and EMTs.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Where are you taking him?” Tara asks one of the medics.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“North Castelia General Hospital, miss.” explains the medic calmly, “We’ll put his leg in a cast, get him some crutches, and you’ll have him back by the end of the day.”  
  
  
“Oh, thank you so much!” she squeals.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The Scrafty reluctantly helps the medics load Julio into the ambulance before running off into the forest without a word.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“That was weird.” one of the medics observes before they all bundle back into the ambulance.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Thank you so much for helping us!” says Tara, grabbing me and pulling me into a bone-crushing hug, “I don’t know what we would have done without you!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Get all the bones in your bodies broken and be left for dead? I pat her arm with what politeness I can still muster, shoulders tense from Tara’s breach of privacy and personal space.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She breaks off the hug.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I wish there was some way I could reward the two of you, but I don’t have anything.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“It’s fine.” I reply casually, “Random acts of kindness are my forte, you know?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“That’s a lie and you know it.” Bianca remarks.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Whatever.” Tara sighs, wiping sweat off her forehead, “I’ll just go now. Thanks so much!””  
  
  
  
  
  
  
With that, she disappears into the subway station.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I turn to face our friendly Scraggy, looking at her uneasily, "How do I know we can trust you, and that you're not just another member of a Scraggy gang?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"W-well you asked me to fight with you,” she replies, “and the way your team fought off that Scrafty was just SO COOL and I--I want to be a part of that!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“So you’ll fight for me?” I question, “No undermining? I’ve heard stories about your species, you know. Today I saw what those stories were about, first-hand.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I’m not like them, I swear!” she complains, pacing up and down, “I wanna fight honorably! You know, sometimes I feel like I was born as the wrong species.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“What do you mean?” I ask, crouching down to face her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Like, you know, I was born as a Scraggy, a species with a really bad rep. I feel like I should have been something powerful and honorable, like an Arcanine, or maybe a Gallade. And I always wanted to journey with a trainer, you get me? I had a friend, a wise old Crustle, who would always tell me these incredible stories she’d picked up about Trainers and their Pokemon. Man, that Crustle must have been a hundred years old or something!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Alright, then…” I muse, scratching my chin, “If you’re gonna join me, you’re gonna need a name. How about… Trixie?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Trixie...?” the Scraggy says, rolling the name around her mouth, “It’s okay, I guess. I can roll with it.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I take out a Poke Ball, “Alright then, Trixie. Welcome to the team.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
She hops up and punches the button on the ball, being sucked up before disappearing in a flash of light as she is transferred to the PC, a reminder that I already have six Pokemon on my team, and that now I have an important decision to make.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*************  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Ryan.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Emily.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Let’s address the Donphan in the room right away.” I begin, sitting with my legs crossed on the floor of our Pokemon Center room, “Our new catch provides our team with some sorely needed type diversity. Running with two Water-types just isn’t practical.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I knew this day would come.” he mutters, sighing.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I hate to say this, but Wolfgang… he’s gonna become stronger than you could ever be one day.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Al always told me my kind don’t usually go far with people like you...” The monkey admits, his face drooping.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Come on.” I say, picking him up and cradling him in my arms, “We gotta get you to the PC. Let’s walk and talk.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As we walk the halls of the Pokemon Center, Ryan’s head hanging low and sentiments running through my mind, Ryan asks a valid question. “Why don’t you just give me back to Al?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Fair point, but counterpoint one: I don’t trust Al, and counterpoint two: I might need you again in the future if… if bad things happen, and I’d rather you were easily accessible in the box.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You mean there’s a chance I might get to come back…?” He asks, his eyes lighting up.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Only if the worst happens.” I reply solemnly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I mean, I’d love to get back on the team,” Ryan admits, snuggling into my chest, “but I don’t want anyone to die, you know? That would really suck.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I know, and-“ I take a shaky breath, “I don’t want you to die. You’ll be safe in the box. Listen, if I ever make any new captures, you gotta tell ‘em what the deal is with me, okay? ‘Cause Maria sure as hell isn’t gonna.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You can—you can count on me, Emily.” He’s getting choked up now, and the PC is in sight.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Please don’t forget me…” He whimpers, tears forming in his big eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I won’t, ” I utter, stroking his head, “I promise.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Thank you.” he mutters quietly, “S’been a fun ride. Short, but fun.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Thank _you_ for coming with me,” I reply, grinning, “Remember Striaton Gym?”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Yeah.” he sniffs.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Couldn’t have beaten that without ya, buddy. I’m gonna miss you.” We’re at the computer now. I take out Ryan’s ball.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“So I guess this is goodbye?” he mumbles, wiping tears from his eyes.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Yeah…” I sigh.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
He stares directly into my eyes. “Wow.” he says quietly, “You have fantastic eyes. Never noticed that.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I do not!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Shut up. You totally do.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You’re just an adorable little softy, you know that?” I note, tickling his little belly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Stop that!” he giggles, “You’re ruining this!”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“You started it!” I retort.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“Alright.” he says firmly, “Goodbye, Emily.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“I’ll see you around, friend.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
I return him to his ball, place it on the scanner and, with a few key presses, I relegate Ryan to the box.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 _I’m gonna miss that damn monkey._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for regular updates! School is starting, but don't expect updates to slow down because of it! All in all, I had fun with this chapter. We have a new character, and a little bit of worldbuilding. Super special thanks to Revenant from the Nuzlocke Forums for being an incredible beta for this update. 'Til next time.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there. Welcome to my Nuzlocke run. It starts a little slow, I'll admit it. This prologue was a lot of rumination. Next chapter, the adventure begins!


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